Among Humans and Monsters
by AwkwardBlackCat
Summary: Eivie has always been a strange girl. From a young age, Poes seem especially interested in her and treat her as if she were a fellow monster. After moving to Castle Town, she meets a few new friends, both monster and human in nature. Can she decide what side she belongs with? Humans or Monsters? Good or Evil? Such a decision was never meant to be easy to make. Slight VaatixOCxLink.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_It is strange how something as simple as eye color can ruin a life. How can insignificant features suddenly determine fate? Why are my golden eyes deemed the mark of a monster if I have done nothing wrong? When they chose to label me such, they, in their own ignorance, created what they feared. I become the monster they said I was. _

The light was filtering through the giant trees forming random patterns on the ground. There were dried leaves littering the ground, crunching under my feet as I walked. The empty basket I carried jostled back and forth as I moved. Much of my focus was on the trunks of trees as I looked for mushrooms and insects for potions. In truth I was trying to waste time so that I did not need to stay in the village any longer than necessary.

I hated the village. Well, mainly the villagers; the village was quite nice if they were removed. A modest village on the edge of the woods deserved no hate, the inhabitants did. Being raised by a witch was not a very good way to make friends. Even if Syrup was kind and shared her skills with them. The villagers remained suspicious of her and, by proximity, me. I was the strange girl living with the witch after all.

Perhaps it was not Syrup they disliked; maybe it was solely me: the monstrous child with yellow eyes. No one else seemed to share my particular eye color. No one human that is. There was only one creature that had the same hue: Poes. I was first told this by an old man that lived in the village. He had whispered it to another person, but louder than he had intended. The idea must have caught on because that quickly became my name when they spoke of me. I was the Poe Girl to them, not that I cared much. A name is a name, but when the other children decided it was grounds to tease me, I quickly began to loathe them all.

They are why I was now walking through the woods at a dreadfully slow pace, dragging my feet the entire way. I did not wish to deal with them and I wish that Syrup would understand that. She told me it was better to ignore them but not let them bully me. Now how does one ignore but tell off someone? I never understood her logic and decided that she just did not want to go so she sent me.

The trees began to thin and I knew that I was regrettably almost to my destination. I sighed when I could see houses. Now that I had made it to the village, I quickened my pace so I could be gone as soon as I could. Syrup only wished for me to deliver a potion to someone -I had not bothered to remember their name and memorized only their location. It was a tan house with red shutters located on the west side of town, which was close considering I had entered from the south.

As I walked, I did my best to ignore whoever was nearby. It worked and I was left alone as I delivered the bottle of potion. The woman took the potion and gave a mumbled "thank you" as she dropped a few blue rupees in my hand. I counted it just to make sure she gave the correct amount; people always tried to sort me, even if they knew the money went to Syrup. Just when I reached the edge of town, on the way back home, did someone decide it was time to bother me.

A small rock hit me in the back of my head, childish giggling following soon after. I turned slowly to the noise, my eyes narrowed. It was two boys and a girl, both about the same age as me. One boy was short and on the heavy side while the other was somewhat tall and lanky. The girl wore her hair in pigtails and was the same height as me. Their laughing ceased when my eyes meet with theirs. For a moment we glared at each other, waiting for the other to look away in defeat.

"Go away, Poe Girl," one boy said, breaking the tense silence.

"No one likes you here," the girl quickly added. The boys nodded in agreement before all three scanned the ground for more rocks to toss.

Despite knowing better, I stood my ground and waited defiantly. They would not get their way, today, I decided. The plump boy was the first to locate and lob another rock in my direction. It hit me on the arm with little force before falling next to my foot. I fought back a smile; they had no idea that I had learned a new trick since the last time.

It was ironic, really. Their calling me Poe-girl gave me the idea. The forest was filled with the ghostly creatures at night, and I happen to enjoy sneaking out then. One such night I had met a darling friend and her sisters. Only recently, though, had they proclaimed they would help me. I deemed this moment worthy of calling one to aid me.

"Beth?" I looked to my side, sensing where the blue Poe was hidden. During the day Poes' stayed hidden, but, by no means, did not mean they were not there.

A phantom giggle was her response as she materialized next to me, the blue flame of her torch swaying in the slight breeze. She began to float near the stunned children, who were too scared to move at the moment. The tall boy was the first to scream and run away. He tripped and fell on his face before he got far, causing Beth and I into a fit of giggles. Once he stumbled to his feet, the other two decided it was time to flee as well, but the girl yelled over her shoulder.

"Monster!"

That word again. I had heard it so many times before, perhaps it was the truth after all. Monster. That is what I am to them, because being different is not tolerated among them. Conformity was their way and in no way did I conform to them.

I turned to leave, walking the same path I had followed earlier. The sun was still high in the sky, not even midday yet. Syrup would not stand for it if I wasted more time than I already had. It was time for me to return to the only safe haven I had and to complete my chores in order to useful enough to keep. 

**Author's Note- First, thank you so So SO much for reading. As this is my first story, reviews would be grand. I need some feedback to know how I am doing. **

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You wish to open a shop in Castle Town?" I swallowed nervously, hoping I had misheard the great witch's words.

"Yes. There are just not enough customers around here." Syrup then pointed to the full shelves. "The shelves are about to fall from the walls, there are so many potions. All that hard work will go to waste if they sit and gather dust."

"But..." I stopped, unable to voice my fears. Castle Town was crowded with people. If they were anything like the villagers, then my life would be even more miserable then it already was.

"Eivie, not everyone is the same," the witch said knowingly. "The only reason the villagers avoid you is because you had a Poe scare those children. When you meet new people, you will have a chance to make some friends. There are plenty of children your age in Castle Town. I'm sure you'll find someone to be friends with."

"I do not like children. And I have friends here."

Syrup shook her head at this and scoffed. "You're a child yourself, you know. And Poes are no substitute for a human friend." She paused, waiting for some response from me, but, upon receiving none, she decided to continue speaking. "I already have a shop bought and we will be moving to Castle Town in three days. We have a lot of packing to do, young lady."

"Understood, but I still do not want to go."

"Eivie, give it a chance. I'm sure you'll like it when we get there."

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><p>The walls that surrounded the city were like nothing I had ever seen before. The gray stones may have weathered with age, but remained strong and imposing, barring monsters to the great fields. Only now, as Syrup and I walked alongside the cart of our belongings, would the walls fail to keep the city monster free. I would soon be calling the town my home, inviting my ghostly friends in with me.<p>

As we entered through the gate, the next thing that drew my attention was the famous castle. At the front, a fountain sprayed water into the air, creating a rainbow over the gate leading into the castle grounds. Behind the gate, a courtyard with brilliant flowers and vibrant grass grew. The castle itself rose high into the sky; the trees in the forest offered little comparison to the grandeur of the rising towers of the castle.

"Do you like the castle?" Syrup chuckled and shook her head at me. It was only then did I notice I had stopped walking. "Come on, we can tour the town after we get settled."

"Yes." I nodded, following Syrup down the streets, past the crowds of people. "Where is this shop?" I had not bothered asking earlier because of my opposition to moving, but my curiosity had finally found me.

Syrup seemed to ignore my question and kept walking at a brisk pace. For an old witch she enjoyed walking quickly and purposely. Admiring the scenery seemed a foreign concept to her. I could not help being distracted by all of the people, buildings, and whatever else we happened upon. I was dawdling a ways behind her when she suddenly stopped in front of a building. Knowing this must be my new home, I ran to stand beside her.

"This is it!" She quickly opened the door to the small wood building. "With a little work this place will be perfect. Come along, Eivie."

I stared at the entrance for a moment, unimpressed. The outside was in poor condition; the window shutters were crooked, the door was partly off of its hinge, and the remnants of paint was peeling away from the wood. When I made my way inside, I was met with an equally dingy interior. There was little lighting, which was actually pleasant to me, but the light filtering through the filmy windows revealed how much dust was floating in the air.

"It is filthy," I commented as I slide my finger along a table, leaving a defined trail in a thick layer of dust. "I do not like it."

"Oh, it just needs a little attention, is all. But, before we clean up, we should move our stuff in. Go help that nice man bring boxes in, would you?"

I nodded and went back to the cart. A man had helped us earlier by lending us his cart and pulling it through town. Syrup had been talking with the man for a while before, but I had ignored the conversation. He would be gone soon enough; why bother with names and pleasantries.

"Are you ready to move stuff in?" He asked cheerfully, a broad smile on his rounded face. He had a box in his hands already.

"Yes." I quickly took a small box and walked back into the house. The sooner the boxes were inside and unpacked, the quicker I could go look around the town. If I was forced to live here, I might as well learn what the place has to offer.

The crates, boxes, and bags of our belongings were soon piled on the floor of the storefront. Much of the items were potions, bottles, kettles, and ingredients for the business; we had few personal items. I had one small box that held everything I owned. When Syrup gave me permission to go upstairs to one of the tiny rooms, I happily went.

The room was not as disappointing as I thought it would be. There was a window that sat above the ledge of a nearby building; it would be simple for me to jump down and climb back up when I inevitably sneaked out at night. The window was the only aspect I appreciated fully, though. The bed was likely covered in dust that would cause me to sneeze every time I tried to lie down. A small table was pushed up against the wall opposite of the bed, leaving little room to walk. It would be livable, I settled.

I sat my things down on the desk, lining up my belongings. I took a tattered blanket and threw it over my shoulder on the bed. My night gown received the same treatment. The brush and mirror Syrup had gifted my remained on the table. Next I looked around the room for a place to hang my prized lantern that I had been given by Meg, the purple Poe sister. She and her sisters had given it as a sign of their allegiance to me.

I never understood why they gave me it or why they allied with me, a child. Somehow they were convinced that I would be powerful one day. I never asked what they meant, simply wanting to believe that perhaps I could obtain power and be acknowledged as more than an orphan child raised by a witch. Whatever they had sensed about me must have inspired our continued partnership. Monsters had no need to be allied to the weak; the weak were hunted and inevitably destroyed. The Poe Sisters actions made little sense to me, but why question it? If they intended to kill me at some point, then so be it.

With a sigh, I sat the lantern back on the table next to the mirror. I could find no proper place to hang it from at the moment. Later I would have to find a nail to create a place for it. Leaving it on the table unlit for the rest of time seemed wrong.

With nothing else to do in the room, I wandered back downstairs. I could hear Syrup and the cheerful man chatting. He was rambling on about how convenient it would be to have a potion brewer in town again. Syrup had a smile on her wrinkled face and acted to be quite flattered with the man's enthusiasm. Their conversation bored me after a few seconds, sending me out the front door into the streets. Syrup noticed and shouted "Don't get lost or into trouble." I nodded even though she could no longer see me.

There were a few people across the street from the shop, gawking at the sign and whispering to each other. When they saw me take a few steps away from the door and past the now empty cart, they beckoned me over to them. With a sigh I went to them and stopped a few paces away, standing straight with my hands behind my back.

"Such a proper little lady," an older woman in a brown and green dress commented, smiling at me.

"Is that the new potion shop?" the younger lady asked, pointing across the street. She had a face similar to the other lady; most likely they were mother and daughter.

"Yes." I looked over my shoulder, back at the storefront. I could see Syrup behind the counter beginning to place down bottles of various potions and ingredients. Pointing to her, I said, "That is Syrup. She owns the shop and brews all of the potions."

The older woman nodded. "And what is your name, dear? Are you Syrup's granddaughter?"

"My name is Eivie. Syrup only looks after me." I quickly turned away and took a few steps forward. "I have something I need to go do; if you have further questions concerning the shop, speak to Syrup tomorrow."

I quickly walked around the side of the shop and to where my room's window was. The overhang of the neighboring building was double my height and there was nothing nearby to help boost myself up enough to reach it. While climbing out of my window and jumping to ground was well with in my ability, climbing back up would be impossible, ruining my plans for late night outings until resolved. In other words, finding a solution took priority over anything else.

"Amy, do you see some way to get up?"

The green hued Poe became visible and floated above me to the edge of the building and back down. She swayed back and forth, her eyes showing disappointment. With her torch, she pointed back to the window and then at me.

"No," I sighed. "I cannot float up there like you do. I need something to stand on or climb up, Amy."

She flew into my face, her eyes narrowed. She had not appreciated my sarcastic tone.

"You could try carrying me up. Would that be better?"

Amy moved away from my face, turned her back on me, and crossed her arms. After a moment of silence, she hovered back to my side, fading away until she was no longer visible.

"We can go look for something together," I said to Amy, knowing she was still near me. One of the sister's always seemed to be at my side when I lived in the forest. When I told them about moving, Meg had told me they would stay in the woods. Amy had been allowed to accompany me to Castle Town, but was to return when night fell.

Meg and her sisters lived in a temple of some sorts. The ghostly sisters never told me much about the place they lived other than it was their duty to watch over it. Meg made it clear that whatever it was that they were to protect in that old ruin was important. She had threatened to attack me if I placed one foot in the entrance, in fact. And now that I moved, I would no longer have the chance to find that temple and investigate what secrets the Poes were protecting.

With my new mission in mind, I walked back to the front of the building and continued my way down the street, backtracking along the path Syrup and I had taken earlier. The closer I got to the castle, more people crowded the streets, visiting various shops in the center of town. I considered looking what the shops and stalls had to offer, but remembered I had no money to spend. I never had use for it before, so carrying any of my limited supply never occurred to me. Also, considering that I needed a ladder or something of the like, I did not have enough rupees to purchase one any way. I would have to be creative to solve my problem.

"Amy, do you see anything I could use?" I whispered quietly, trying to avoid any questioning stares from people nearby.

A sudden tug on my hair was her response. After the initial pull, she loosened her grip and gently pulled me to the right and down another street. I let her lead me through many twists and turns, trusting that she would show me to something useful. I doubted it was to anything ladder related, though. Amy always did what she wanted and usually ignored what I asked her to do unless she had personal interest in the matter. Beth was the one who followed orders the best out of the sisters, especially considering how Joelle ignored me and how Meg ordered me around.

After a few minutes of walking, I found myself standing in front of a spiked metal gate. I rolled my eyes when I noticed where Amy had lead me.

"And what are we to do at a cemetery, Amy?"

A rough shove urged me to enter.

"Fine, I will go look." I sighed as I pushed open the gate, closing it after entering. There was no one around, as far as I could tell. It was a cemetery after all. Not many people willingly went into cemeteries, even during the day unless it was necessary or for a short visit. Well, in the village it had been like that because Poes would occasionally cause havoc there.

Castle Town's cemetery was more kept and actually looked pretty considering rotting corpses were buried there. Along the paths there were white and yellow flowers that looked trimmed and well cared for. Bright green grass covered much of the area, excluding the white and gray stone paths and grave markers. It almost seemed like a cheery place, making me wonder why Amy wanted to come here. She hated flowers and anything "cheery." I bet she detested this beautiful cemetery that made a mockery of the typically gloomy location.

Amy tugged at my hair again, trying to direct me forward. She continued to pull even after I had begun to walk, keeping a lock of my hair captive. Near the back of the cemetery, I saw a stone building with a large mural depicting knights in battle. The mausoleum's stone door seemed closed tight when I pushed on it. I stood back and stared at the sealed door.

"What is it you want to show me, Amy?"

Her response was a phantom giggle.

"Well, open it then." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Don't just tease me."

The heavy stone door slowly grated open, leaving just enough room for me to squeeze inside. I glanced at Amy, wanting to know what was inside and hoping she did not plan on shutting me in. She pushed me forward gently and I willingly stepped inside the dark, cold tomb. Amy decided to close the door, causing the small sliver of sunlight to disappear, leaving me in total darkness. Eventually my eyes adjusted enough to see faint outlines of objects, but I wanted to see more. Amy became visible and brought out her torch, showering the room in green light.

"Amy," I began, only to whip my head in the opposite direction. Briefly, I swore I had seen movement on the other side of the room. I straightened my back and looked around for the animated object.

I flinched and stumbled back a step when a creature suddenly flew in front of my face. After the initial shock and recovery, I could see a strange Poe hovering a few feet away from me. It wore a golden yellow robe that was tattered at the bottom. Its face was covered by a grated metal mask, a faint glow showing from the cracks that told where the eyes were. It held a lantern in its hand, the gold light mixing with the green of Amy's torch.

"What is this one called?" I asked confidently. No matter the slightly strange appearance, a Poe was a Poe, and I did not fear them.

"Hue," it responded in a low, resonating voice. He was louder than any other Poe I had spoken with. It was strange to hear the words so clearly. "And you, who disturbs my grave, are?"

"Eivie. And," I pointed over my shoulder, "Amy, one of the four Sisters of the Forest."

Hue studied us for a moment, his gaze focused mainly on me. He scoffed before turning to Amy. "What is it you want from me, Forest Keeper?"

Amy moved closer to Hue, whispering to him. When she finished whatever she was telling him, she let out a giggle and floated back to my side.

Hue sighed, rolling his eyes behind his mask. "Very well then. If that is what is required, I will watch this one called Eivie."

"Watch me?" I raised my eyebrow as I waited for one of the two to explain. Neither made a move, causing me to frown. "Fine, then. If I am not meant to know, then so be it. I will find out your motive eventually." I straightened my back and clasped my hands behind my back, looking at the yellow hooded Poe. "Hue," I bowed my head slightly, "I will be expecting to see you later when Amy departs, then."

Hue snorted in annoyance, but nodded his head.

"Amy," I turned to face the door, "we will be on our way now."

Amy narrowed her eyes at me before fading into the stone door. Light quickly flooded the room. When I felt I could bare the brightness, I left the mausoleum and Hue behind. Once outside, I walked down the dirt path back to the entrance, ready to resume my mission for a ladder. While meeting another Poe was always interesting and Amy's departure was soon, a ladder was still top priority.

_Monsters and humans do not get along; that is fact. Humans only befriend other humans. Monsters only associate with other monsters. Humans listen to those they trust and to reason. Monsters obey those more powerful than themselves. We are different from each other and friendships between us cannot exist. _

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><p><strong>AN- I hope you enjoyed. Reviews and constructive criticism would be much appreciated. On a side note, the italics are a future Eivie reflecting on the events and there will likely be a similar section in each chapter. If even one person tells me to continue it would motivate me greatly! Thank you for reading!**

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I own only my original characters and the plot.

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

Castle Town was peaceful at night. People retreated back to their homes, leaving the streets empty and quiet. I could walk down many of the streets and not see a soul. Well, a living soul. Hue had accompanied me the last few times I had ventured out for a nighttime walk. He was begrudgingly following me now, in fact.

The last few days had been quite boring. Syrup had me organizing potions and ingredients most of the time. Other times she left me to sit at the counter and help customers while she went to the back to brew more potions. There seemed to be quite a number of people in need of potions in Castle Town. Most were seeking cures to ailments, but a few knights would visit looking for health potions to heal wounds faster and ease pain more effectively. One thing they all seemed to have in common was their cheerfulness. I had never had so many smiles and compliments directed at me before; it was certainly a change. I was actually baffled as to why residents of Castle Town were so much more welcoming then the villagers had been.

"Hue, why are people so strange here?" I stopped walking and leaned against the wall of a building. "They are very welcoming and polite."

The masked Poe scoffed. "Welcoming and polite, are they? When I lived they were no such things."

"Do you remember being alive?" I tilted my head at the Poe. He had referenced his past life several times now.

"Not in great detail," he admitted after a brief silence. "I only remember rage at those around me, whoever they were. I have even forgotten my true name. Hue is the name Hylians called us by when there were many gold Poes in the city."

I nodded, not really sure what I could say to the Poe. He was not seeking comfort; he was coldly indifferent as he told his short tale. Poes held no interest in their past or why their spirits were bound to wander for all of eternity. Continuing to exist was their main concern.

I dropped the subject and went about my midnight stroll. The nighttime scenery was not particularly interesting today. The other night the sky had been incredibly clear, allowing me to see a great many stars and constellations. Today clouds covered most of the stars and often concealed the moon as well. I had to find something else to entertain myself.

"Hue, I will be going to the center of town," I warned.

"Fine," he sighed, already fading from sight.

I mumbled a thank you. Even at night, there were guards stationed in the center of town. I had not tested their reaction to a child wandering alone at night yet; I dare not push my luck by having Hue be visible for all to see.

When I arrived at the central fountain near the Castle gates, I decided to sit down on the edge of the fountain for a short break. I stared up at the clouds, finding what different shapes I could see.

I missed the woods. At least when I was bored I could visit with the Poe Sisters and collect random ingredients for Syrup. I had yet to find something interesting to do to fill my nighttime outings here.

Looking over my shoulder at the Castle, I could see lights in the windows. They must have had some social event tonight because the candles were usually blown out by this hour. It was foolish to think I could waltz into the castle to find something to do, but the idea was quite tempting right now. I had not seen rich nobles until I moved here, making them quite interesting. While other people struggled to make a decent living these people spent money on parties, fancy clothes, and many other frivolous things. Many nobles were also Hylian, which, despite only minor differences with humans, interested me.

Outside of the Faron Woods, the majority of the population consisted of Hylians. Perhaps this was the difference between the village and Castle Town. The village had been filled with humans of similar background. I had been the only Hylian around –aside from Syrup- and easily singled out because of it. In Castle Town there was variety. I was no longer the only strange one around; there were other people far stranger than I. For example many thought Dampé or the mask salesman were the strangest ones town. Others thought that the Gorons with the spring water shop were the oddest bunch. I was not at the top of the list of oddities for once, which felt fantastic, truth be told.

Drawing me from away my musings, I heard the groan of a large door opening. My back straightened and I quickly looked over my shoulder, confirming that the castle door had been opened. Not even taking the time to look who came out, I slide off of the fountain and crouched in attempt to hide. When I felt hidden enough, I peeked over the edge.

Two people walked down the courtyard's path on their way to the front gate. One was a man with dark hair and a well-trimmed beard and mustache. He wore a fancy dark blue tunic with golden accents, plain dark pants, high leather boots, and a long cloak. A noble, I thought in awe. The other was a boy my age, who walked a few paces in front of the older man. He had the oddest hair color; I had never seen a person with pale lavender hair before. His hair was abnormally long for a boy and was held back in a loose ponytail, except for the front where his hair obscured his right eye. He had a scowl on his face and looked to be quite angry for whatever reason. The older man did not seem any happier.

"Hey!"

I jumped to my feet and almost fell into the fountain, but whoever had shouted had grabbed my arm to prevent the accident. When I regained my balance and as I tried to get over the sudden shock, I looked at the cause.

"I'm sorry," a blond haired boy apologized, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't mean to scare you."

I stared at the boy. He wore a strange green hat, a rather plain green tunic, beige pants, and brown boots.

"My name's Link." He smiled brightly. "What's your name?"

"Eivie," I responded quietly. He was so… cheerful.

"Nice to meet you!" He paused before asking, "Why are you out here this late?"

"I was taking a walk." I took a seat on the edge of the fountain when he remained in front of me. "Why are you?"

He shrugged once before sitting down next to me. "My father is at that party," he said, pointing back at the castle. "He's the Knight Captain," he added with pride. "He brought me along so I could visit with a friend. I got bored after she went to bed and ended up out here. Are you by yourself?" Link tilted his head to the side, clearly puzzled.

"Yes," I admitted, seeing no way around it. Why lie? I was not doing much anyway.

"Really? You know that's dangerous, right? My father warns me not to go wandering at night all of the time. Don't your parents worry?"

"I have no parents to worry." I immediately wanted to take my words back. Now Link would pity me and pity was irritating. Even if I had sounded indifferent, he would still feel sorry for me, treat me differently than he would have had I lied or chose better phrasing. Just as the dreaded apology was forming on his lips, I cut in, "Do not apologize for something so trivial. I had not meant to gain your sympathy for such a ridiculous thing."

His eyebrows went together and his jaw partly agape. He had not been expecting that response, I am sure, but now I felt slightly bad for my bluntness. No wonder I am not a conversationalist.

"Well, I'm still sorry. Not having parents is kinda sad; I know I miss my mother a lot." He looked away and at the ground for a moment. Then our eyes met once more, Link's eyes filled with determination. "I guess if you don't care, than that's your choice, but you still shouldn't act so cold towards them. They were your parents, after all."

"I…" I nodded instead of trying to find words to express my feelings, since I did so poorly at it. I could understand why he felt parents were so important; he had most likely known and loved his mother. I had no such experience with my biological parents, whoever they were. Syrup was my only family and acted more like a caretaker than a mother or grandmother.

The conversation died there for a while. Link made no move to leave, though, which I found encouraging. I had not offended him so much that he felt it necessary to leave and find someone better to talk to.

"I've never seen you around here before," he suddenly stated. "Did you just move here, or something?"

I nodded my head. "I moved less than a week ago, in fact. Do you know of the new potion shop run by the witch Syrup?"

"Yeah. Some of the knights were talking about it and how great the potions were. Do you live there?"

"Yes. I live there and help Syrup with the shop."

"Do you get to make potions and stuff?" He asked excitedly. When I nodded he smiled brightly. "Really? That's amazing. I never get to do stuff like that, but I guess I get to go to the castle with my father."

"You are allowed into the castle? What is it like?" I caught myself before I spewed forth a string of questions. "I have never seen the interior of one before."

"Link," a new, older sounding voice called. It was a sandy blond haired man wearing a simple but stylish tunic with chain mail underneath, dark colored pants, and leather boots. It was easy to see his resemblance to Link, leading me to believe it was his father. "It is time to go home."

"Okay," Link said to him, sounding perhaps disappointed. He looked back to me with an almost goofy smile. "I'll ask if you can come with me to the castle sometime. It's too hard to describe it, so you'll have to see for yourself! Does that sound like a good plan?"

"Yes. I would…" I hesitated, still attempting to process the offer. Never before had someone my one age willingly invited me somewhere, let alone Hyrule Castle. "I would enjoy that very much. Thank you."

He gave one last smile and a wave as he left, walking beside his father down the street. I stayed sitting on the side of the fountain, staring after them until they turned around a corner and disappeared from sight. I wrung my hands together in front of me, wondering what I had just agreed to. Link seemed too nice for this to be some sort of trick, and why would he have reason to trick me anyway? But, then, why did he just offer to spend more time with me? Did that… Did that make us friends?

_One encounter is enough to change fate, for better or worse. With one word or action, the life of another can be irreparably changed. Something so seemingly insignificant can mean chaos or peace. _

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><p><strong>AN- **Thank you all for reading! A special thanks to the guest who reviewed and the people who faved and followed! I'm so glad you're liking the story! It filled my heart with rainbows knowing people like my story, readers and reviewers alike. I have decided on a tentative update schedule; Friday through Sunday are when I have time to write and update (if I do not have too many other things going on). Other times I may update during the week if I have time and motivation to do so.

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was a day like any other. Only two nights ago had I spoken with Link, him proclaiming that he would invite me to the castle. While a part of me doubted I would ever see or hear from him again, the other sincerely hoped that we would at least speak again. He was as close to a friend as I had; that I probably would ever have.

I picked at the wooden counter absentmindedly as I thought. Syrup had gone to make more health potions, leaving me to assist customers. It was midafternoon too; not many people were out buying potions but rather having lunch, working, or resting. Hue had left me as well, doing whatever it is a Poe does during the day. Obviously I had become quite bored with only my thoughts to entertain myself.

When the door opened, I lazily glanced up. I immediately sat up straight and stared forward, a slight smile trying to form on my lips. Link's father waited by the door, taking the opportunity to look at the potion filled shelves. He wore a knight uniform, the look completed with a sword at his hip and a shield on his back. Link run up to the counter. Today he wore a plain tan tunic decorated with blue-green designs, leading me to believe that the green outfit had perhaps been worn specifically for the party the other night.

He smiled and said hello. After I returned the greeting, he went on by saying, "Do you want to go to the castle tomorrow? My father said it was okay if you came along with us."

"That would be fine," I tried to state calmly but completely failed. I was smiling and even my voice showed how excited I was. "When?"

"In the morning, we can meet you here. Then we'll walk over to the castle and I can show you around!"

"Link," his father cut in, "don't get ahead of yourself. You forgot to ask something very important."

"Oh! Yeah, I was supposed to ask if Syrup said it was all right for you to go." Link looked back at his father, earning a nod of approval from the man.

"I have yet to ask her. I will be right back with an answer." I slide off of the stool and left the other two in the front of the shop.

I had not actually thought of asking Syrup permission for such an outing; she usually let me do as I pleased as long as I stayed out of trouble and remained helpful in the shop.

When I reached the door to the brewing room, I peeked around the frame. I hesitated for a bit, watching as she stirred a large vat of bubbling health potion. "Syrup?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, Eivie? Do you need help with a customer?" She did not look my way and continued to diligently stir the brew.

"No. I was… I was wondering if I could go somewhere tomorrow."

With this statement, she slowly looked away from her potion and at me with an eyebrow slightly raised. "And where do you want to go tomorrow?" Suspicion was evident in her voice.

"To the castle," I said before quickly adding, "with a friend."

"A friend?" She smiled and her wrinkled face relaxed. "I told you that you would make friends here." She gave a sly smile at her earlier prediction's coming true, causing me to roll my eyes. With a chuckle, she said, "Yes, you can go. Just promise to tell me more about this friend later. I sure hope it is not another Poe."

I frowned at her, not appreciating her comment against my ghostly companions. "No. He is completely human to my knowledge." I turned and left her to her potion, only stopping for a second to say a sincere thank you. She had allowed me to go; she at least deserved some gratitude.

When I arrived back in front, Link and his father remained waiting. I returned to my place behind the counter. The entire time Link looked expectantly at me.

"I can go. Syrup gave me her permission."

"Good! I'll see you tomorrow!" Link chirped happily. As he turned to leave with his father, he gave a small wave, which I returned.

The door closed, once again leaving me alone in the shop. I tried to hold back a grin as I thought of how much fun tomorrow would be. I was going to Hyrule Castle. Me, a girl from a small village, would be allowed into the great halls of the famous castle. The very thought would keep me entertained until then.

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><p>Ecstatic. That was the only way to describe how I felt. I was so excited for tomorrow, I could not sleep. I had not planned on taking a late night walk, but restlessly turning in my bed had become irritating to the point I needed to get up and do something.<p>

"You are far too cheerful," Hue complained. "It's disgusting."

I scoffed at the dreary Poe. I turned to him, giving a narrow eyed glare. He had been annoying me about my cheerfulness for the entire walk. I was sick of it. "Well then, Hue. Perhaps we should have a change in topic that will alter my mood. Would you enjoy that?"

He groaned irritably. "If you dare bring-"

"I do dare," I interrupted. "If you wish for a subject change, I decide what it shall be." I clasped my hands behind my back and stared down the golden ghost. "Why is it you creatures follow after me and act as though you are subservient to me, a Hylian? What is it you know that you refuse to share?"

Hue remained quiet. He hovered in the air, swaying side to side ever so slightly, his glowing eyes locked in line with mine. "Fine. Be cheerful," he mumbled after a few minutes of glaring.

"That is what I thought." I curtly turned away and began walking. Such an irritating phantom, Hue was. He had nearly ruined my pleasant mood with his complaining. I took a moment to breathe and try to relieve my anger. I could deal with Hue at a later time; my visit to the castle could very well be a one-time offer.

After pushing Hue's transgression behind me, I smiled once more and continued my stroll. Tonight the sky had few clouds, so I decided that perhaps it was a good night to star gaze. My decision meant that I had to find a decent place to see from. The ledge below my window had been disappointing the last time I decided to watch the stars. It had not been nearly high enough. I made it my mission for tonight to find a more suitable location.

As I walked along the inside of the stone walls that protected the city, I looked for a place to climb up. It seemed a like a good starting point. I would just have to avoid areas where the guards were posted. Their torches clearly gave away their positions, though, making it quite easy to sneak around them unnoticed. I soon came to a tall watch tower without the faint glow of fire that signaled a guard. It would be tiresome, but there was a ladder that I could climb to reach the top.

I shrugged my shoulders and decided it was worth a try; the view would likely prove worthwhile. With that, I began my ascent, keeping a steady pace and a strong grip on the rungs. Falling would clearly be unpleasant from such a height. Although I sort of had a morbid curiosity of what it would feel like to fall and if I would die from the injuries. Joelle had enjoyed musing upon things like this; the other sisters would also join in and tease me about my mortality. Oddly I missed them and their quirkiness. Hue was so dull when compared to them, and his constant griping had proven more than annoying.

I hoisted myself over the edge of the wall when I reached the top of the tower. When my feet touched the ground, I straightened my clothes as I looked around. From the tower I could see both the great fields of the outside and the crowded buildings of the town. It was only when I took a small step forward did I notice that I was not alone.

Only a few paces away a boy was laying on the ground, scowling at me. He seemed familiar, with his long pale hair and look of irritation. It took a moment for me to recognize him as the boy I had seen leaving the castle moments before Link appeared. Being closer than I had been that night, I could see that he had red irises. A strange color that reminded me of my own odd yellow eyes.

"Do you mind?" His glare only became harsher the longer I stayed.

"I had been unaware someone was up here." I made no move to leave. He was far too interesting to ignore. Instead I sat down on the wall and made myself comfortable. "My name is Eivie," I offered, trying to spark a conversation.

"You do not intend on leaving, do you?" he grumbled as he sat up, glare still in place. The expression looked natural on his face, like he had been perfecting the look for centuries.

"I have no intention of doing so," I replied. "What is your name?"

For a while he ignored me, perhaps hoping I would grow bored and leave. When I made no move he gave an exasperated sigh. "I am Vaati. Now, do tell me, why _are_ you bothering me?"

I did not answer right away, instead choosing to consider how odd his name was. Vaati. Vaati was the strangest name I had ever heard. Eivie was an alternative form of Eve, but Vaati was completely unique and strange.

"We both have odd eye colors," I finally answered.

He gave me a look that said _Really? That is the only reason you're talking with me?_ "Well, isn't that just an absolutely _brilliant_ observation. Care to point out anything else that is blatantly obvious?"

"Your name is quite odd as well." I tried to hold back a grin, enjoying irritating the bratty boy.

"And you believe your name to be any better? A common name pronounced incorrectly?" He stood up from the ground and sat on the edge of the wall so we were at eye-level with each other. "Not to mention the fact my name will be infamous while your's is insignificant and soon to be forgotten." He was holding back a smirk.

"Infamous? A boy like you?" I laughed, enjoying the witty conversation. "And how would _you_ become known, let alone infamous?"

"I am far more powerful than you can imagine, girl. Soon enough I shall hold all of Hyrule, and then the world."

"You? Rule over anything? I honestly do not see how that could be possible."

Vaati finally let a cocky smirk form on his face. He stood up and walked forward until he was standing next to where I sat. "You are quite irritating, Eivie. But, just to prove you wrong, I shall demonstrate why I am far superior to you and everyone else." Vaati climbed on top of the wall next to me, stood up, and faced the same direction as me, with his back to the town and the ladder leading down. He gave another boastful smile. "Perhaps we will meet again, Poe summoner Eivie." He bowed his head slightly, as if he were a noble bidding a lady farewell. Then he did the unthinkable. He fell backwards, quickly being pulled by gravity to the unforgiving ground below.

I leaned over the edge expecting to see his corpse, but a gust of wind and dirt caused me to snap my eyes closed and cover my face. When I felt the sudden gale was gone, I looked down. I could see Vaati walking away from the tower and down the streets of town without any noticeable injuries from the jump.

When his pale haired head disappeared from sight, I turned around and looked back over the fields and stars pensively. Vaati had called me a Poe summoner. Could he sense Hue as well? The silly Poe had been with me the entire conversation, hiding from sight. Poes could become invisible should they desire, but I could sense their location even when they did. Had Vaati been able to do the same? And how had he managed to survive that fall? He created such a mystery around himself with his last actions and departing words. I would be lying if denied how curious I had become with the red-eyed boy.

"I hope we do encounter each other again, Vaati."

* * *

><p>I rolled out of bed the next morning, utterly exhausted, regretting staying up so late. I went to the table in my room and brushed my hair, using the mirror to make sure I looked presentable. It would be very rude for me not to consider my appearance when Link took me to the seat of Hyrule's power. After checking over my clothes for stains or rips, I put them on, straightened out any wrinkles, and proceeded to make my way downstairs.<p>

On the way, I could hear a customer asking Syrup about different arthritis potions. I had slept in, it seemed. Usually I awoke before Syrup opened up shop. My stomach knotted nervously, thinking that I might have missed Link. Then I remembered that Syrup would have woken me up if Link had arrived when I was still in bed. She had been happy I made a friend; she would not be as cruel as not telling me.

After having a small breakfast in the kitchen, I went to help Syrup. "Good morning," I greeted, sitting behind the counter like I did every day.

"Good morning." Syrup looked at me suspiciously. "How late were you out last night, young lady?"

I sheepishly looked at the ground to avoid her gaze. "I do not know," I admitted quietly.

She continued to stare at me expectantly.

"Later than I should have been, I guess. I could not sleep." I hesitantly looked up at her.

She sighed and shook her head. "Eivie, going out at night is dangerous and you know it." She leaned forward, whispering, "With or without your Poe friends."

"I apologize," I began, only to add somewhat defiantly, "but I like to go out at night. It's peaceful."

"You are very independent, but sometimes you need to take others' advice and help, dear," Syrup warned. She told me this often enough that I nodded my head without hearing the words.

The door opened and Link waltzed into the shop. He wore a green tunic and, surprisingly, a small sword at his hip and a shield on his back. He sort of looked like a miniature version of his father. I found it amusing enough that I had to hold back a giggle.

"Hi, Eivie," Link greeted, a smile on his face. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded my head, making my way to his side. We then walked out the door together. After taking a few steps away from the door, I saw his father waiting as well. He smiled at us and the three of us made our way toward the castle.

I gave into my curiosity. "Why do you have a sword, Link?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess I never mentioned it before. I'm training to be a knight like my father. After I show you around the castle, I have to practice my sword and shield techniques."

"That sounds interesting. Is swordsmanship difficult to master?"

"Eh," he shrugged, "Some things are hard but others are pretty easy." He smiled and then laughed a bit. "You know, you sort of talk funny." I must of look offended because he quickly added, "You speak really formally sometimes and it reminds me of my other friend."

I nodded to show I understood he was just making a comparison rather than insulting me. "Who is your other friend? If you don't mind telling me."

He suddenly got a goofy grin. "You'll meet her later. It'll be a surprise."

"All…All right, I guess." Why keep it a secret? Link was so strange, but I dropped the subject. If he wanted to be a surprise for whatever reason, then whatever. I had not been _that _curious.

When we arrived at the gate leading into the castle grounds, the two guards saluted Link's father before allowing all three of us to enter. The garden was more impressive now that I stood in it. The many bushes were trimmed into perfectly rounded ovals. Flowers grew in many colorful patches, brightening up the otherwise gray stone path.

"There's actually another garden behind the castle," Link mentioned, perhaps noticing my awe. "We can go there later."

"Well," Link's father said when we reached the grand wooden door leading inside, "You two stay out of trouble. And Link, remember you _do _need to practice for a while today; don't slack off like last time. Being a knight takes diligence."

"Yes, father. I promise." Link gave a single wave to his father before turning to me. "Do you want to go inside first?"

I quickly nodded my head. I caught my overly excited action and quickly added, "That would be a fine place to begin."

Link smiled and shoved open the large door. I was actually surprised he could open it himself considering how absolutely ginormous, and likely heavy, the door looked. I followed him inside.

Breathtaking. The inside was the most elegant, gorgeous place I had ever been and would ever be. The vaulted ceilings made me feel tiny. A menagerie of tapestries hung above the tall windows and from the rails of a stair case leading up a level. The crest of the Royal Family made appearances on tapestries, rugs, and chairs. There were a few crystal chandeliers in the room and as sunlight passed through them, rainbows formed on the walls.

"I…" I could not even begin to tell Link how spectacular the castle was.

"I told you it's hard to describe." He smiled and went towards the stairs. When I did no move he waved for me to follow. "There's more to see, believe me."

I smiled stupidly and honestly did not care. I caught up with Link and he continued giving me a tour of the stunning castle. He showed me the dining hall that was filled with so many tables and chairs that most of the town could have sat there. I may be exaggerating a bit, but it was incomparable for me: a girl who had lived in a small hut for many years. Link also took me to the library. I nearly cried seeing so many books in one place; Syrup only kept potion related books so such variety astounded me.

When we finally made it to the garden in back, my legs were sore from all of the walking and stair climbing.

"So?" Link walked backwards to look at me while he lead us to the next place.

"Amazing. The entire castle is amazing."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Link laughed, turning back around to face forwards. "Now, I have someone I think you'd like to meet."

"Like that friend you mentioned?"

He nodded and continued to lead me towards a gazebo in the middle of the garden. I picked up my pace and walked next to Link, mildly interested in learning why he was being so cryptic about the identity of his friend.

I froze in place when I saw who was sitting on a bench, presumably waiting for Link and I's arrival. Her bright blonde hair was neatly tucked behind her ears and under a golden, red jeweled tiara. She wore an expensive looking pink, purple, and white dress.

The princess of Hyrule was Link's friend. Zelda. Princess Zelda. I was meeting the princess. My brain momentarily gave up and I stood awkwardly, staring as Link waved to her.

"Hi, Zelda!" Link smiled and lead me forward, seeing how I forgot how to walk. "This Eivie!"

"It is nice to meet you, Eivie," Zelda said, giving a polite tilt of her head. "I am Princess Zelda."

"I.. Its…" I swallowed, trying to tell my mouth to work properly. "It is an honor to meet you," I finally spat out, curtsying slightly, trying to be polite and ladylike for once in my life.

She smiled and looked back to Link. "You did not tell her she was meeting the princess, did you?"

"Nope!" Link chirped. "I thought it would be an awesome surprise." He sat down next to Zelda.

"Come sit down, Eivie," Zelda said when I continued to stand.

Finally regaining control of my legs, and hopefully my mouth, I sat down on the bench next to her, noticing it was the only available seat nearby. I smiled nervously.

"So, how you been? I haven't really talked to you since the party," Link began.

Zelda sighed, almost like she was annoyed by something. "Fine. I only wish that boy would leave me alone and quit with his childish pranks. He has become quite bothersome."

"Yeah, Wendal's been a jerk lately. Well, more than usual, anyways." Link shook his head and rolled his eyes. His tone said that he had had it with this Wendal person.

"Who?" I asked, having absolutely no idea what they were discussing. I felt left out, sort of.

"Oh, yeah, you've probably not met him," Link said.

"She might actually be lucky to have _not_ met him," Zelda mumbled quietly.

"His name is Wendal Ansel," Link continued. "His father's a politician. Wendal always pulls pranks and gets in trouble. The other night he caused a bowl of soup to splash onto Zelda. After that she had to leave. It was right before I went outside and met you." He paused and thought for a moment, like he was trying to remember something. "Zelda, do you know the name he likes to call himself? I forgot it again."

"For whatever reason, he prefers to be called Vaati," Zelda explained before sighing again. "And as Link had mentioned, he is not very pleasant. He always seems to target me, for some reason."

"Oh." Vaati's actual name was Wendal Ansel and he was a noble's son. That explained why he was here the other day. He looked nothing like his father, whom I assume was the man with him that night. It was still strange that he went by Vaati rather than his true name, though. If I met him again, I would have to ask him why. I did not feel it necessary to mention to Link or Zelda that I had met him, seeing as how they did not like him much.

"Well," Zelda spoke up, "what did you think of the castle, Eivie? I understand you just moved here, right?"

"Yes, and the castle is outstanding. I never imagined it would be so… beautiful." I looked to Link. "Thank you for inviting me, Link."

"No problem." Link rubbed the back of his head, looking as cheerful as ever.

For a moment, no one spoke, a comfortable silence forming as we all glanced around the garden. Zelda broke the silence by asking "Eivie, how did you get your nails that shade?"

I cringed, remembering that I had my hands resting on my lap for all to see. I quickly moved my hands to my sides, curling my fingers to hide my hideous purple nails as best I could. "They have always been this way." As long as I could remember my nails were an awful shade of dark purple. My nails were as unnatural as my eyes; another reminder of how I differed from others.

"Oh," she paused for a moment, noting my behavior and obvious dislike for my nails. "I think it is a lovely color," she said, trying to comfort me.

I did not care what she said; I knew it was a lie, but I smiled anyways, showing her that her earlier observation had been forgiven. She was nice, like Link, and I did not want her to feel like she owed me an actual apology for something trivial.

"Well," Link said, trying to brighten the mood, "who wants to play tag or something?"

After that, the day had returned to its upbeat mood. By the time Link decided it was time for him to go practice and Zelda had to study, I was exhausted, but happy. Zelda was very kind. And, despite my oddness and her position as princess, she treated me like an equal, as she did Link. I considered her a friend by the time I left the castle. Link and Zelda even told me to come visit again sometime. It was then that I decided that the move to Castle Town had been a blessing. I was no longer alone. I had meet two friends and an interesting acquaintance. Living here would not be as bad as I first thought.

_I was such a naïve child._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Thank you for reading, faving, and following! Review, please? I just have no idea if this good or not. It would be nice to know if characters are in character and if Eivie is a good OC or not. It's sort of demotivating me not knowing and that is probably not a good sign. Some feedback would be great and motivate me to continue. **

**That does it for character introductions, I believe. Now it's time to get more conflict and drama. The next chapter may skip forward a few years, but I will give some indication/transition. And don't mind Vaati's "human" name because it will likely only appear a few times and is not really important. There will be more of him now, too. Young Link is (sort of) based on Toon-Link and he will getting more serious in coming chapters. **

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>Time skip- A few years later<p>

* * *

><p>A metallic clink rang out, Link skillfully blocking the sword of his opponent with his shield. The other teen stepped back, trying to find an opening. Link held up his shield and sword, prepared for any move thrown at him.<p>

He had become a formidable knight-in-training, I observed. Rarely had I watched him practice before, but today he had somehow convinced both Zelda and I to watch as he sparred with a fellow trainee. Honestly I had not expected sword play to be so entertaining to watch, but I had been proven wrong, it seemed. Link also made it look so easy, I was curious to see how other people handled themselves.

"Link has improved a lot," Zelda commented, not taking her eyes from the mock fight.

"Perhaps his bragging is warranted." I shook my head, smiling slightly. When he said he could fight, he meant it. He was not full of arrogant confidence with little evidence of skill, unlike someone else. "He could very well be the next Knight Captain."

Zelda grinned and nodded her head. "He has a very good chance. Link's father has actually requested my father to consider the idea."

I simply nodded my head, the sparring match recapturing my attention as Link began to go for the win. He stepped forward, bashing his shield against the other man's sword. The movement knocked the man off balance, allowing Link to step forward and stab at the man. Link stopped with the tip of his sword's blade pointed at the other's armored chest.

"And the victory goes to Link," the older knight refereeing the match called.

Link smiled and shook hands with his opponent before facing Zelda and I. He pointed at me saying, "I told you can fight!"

I chuckled once, seeing that Link had proven me wrong. I had been teasing him the other day when I asked him if he fought actual people or just dummies. "I see I had misjudged your ability, Link. That was a brilliant match."

"Indeed, Link," Zelda chimed in, clapping a few times for him.

"Glad you could come watch, Zelda." Link made his way forward to stand in front of us. "You seem really busy lately."

"Oh, yes, I have been. I have to learn how to run a country, after all." She paused before adding in a serious, determined voice, "I want to be a good ruler someday, so it is necessary for me to learn as much as I can."

"You'll be a great queen." Link then posed with his shield in front of him and his other hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "And I will be the next Knight Captain."

I giggled a bit at his enthusiasm before adding, on a serious note, "With Zelda as queen and you as Knight Captain, Hyrule will be well respected. From what I have seen and know of you two, Hyrule should not dread the future."

"Thank you, Eivie." Zelda smiled.

"Yeah," Link said. "But what are you going to do? Will you take over the potion shop or…?"

"I have not considered what I wish to do yet," I answered honestly.

"You probably should start," Link laughed. "All of the good apprenticeships will pass you by if you wait too long. You don't want to end up without a good job later on."

I shrugged, not really caring. There were more pressing things to think about than finding an apprenticeship for a future job.

"Well," Zelda said, standing up and straightening out her skirt, "I should go back to my studies now. It was nice to take a break and visit with you two."

Link nodded. "We'll have to do this again, sometime. Hopefully next time for longer than just a few hours."

"I will see if that is possible because I would enjoy that very much as well," Zelda answered. She gave a slight curtsy before turning to leave.

"So, what now?" Link asked when Zelda was gone from sight. "I think I'm done for today. Do you have anything to do?"

"Not really," I answered. Syrup had given me the day off, essentially, and I had nothing else to do at the moment.

Link nodded, taking in the information and considering his response.

When I glanced at him, an idea came to mind. "May I see your sword? I find it interesting." I tilted my head, waiting for a response.

He gave me a questioning look. "I don't see how it's interesting, but okay, I guess." He unhooked the sheath from his belt and held it out for me to take. When I reached, he pulled it back, saying, "Be careful not to cut yourself or anyone else." When I smiled, he hesitantly placed it in my hands. "Seriously. Be careful."

"I will," I assured, already drawing the blade. It was heavier than I thought it would be, forcing me to let the sheath drop to the ground so I did not drop the sword. The silver metal shined in the midafternoon sun, making the deadly weapon look imposing. The sword itself was rather plain in design; it was standard issue and did not have fancy elements like nobles' decorative swords. Link's sword was made for defending the city against monsters and criminals. There was no need for elaborate detailing that would be ruined in battle. I sort of wanted to swing it around but figured it was not a fantastic idea considering how nervous Link already seemed to be. I would be too, knowing how I accidentally dropped a knife inches from his foot once before. That visit to buy potion ingredients obviously caused some mistrust between us when I had a sharp object in hand.

"Here." I handed the sword back to him. "Someday I want a lesson on how to use it."

"You swinging a sword around? How about not," he laughed as he hooked the sword back onto his belt.

"Still sore about the knife incident?"

"Ha, ha. Funny joke, Eivie." He rolled his eyes. "If you really want to, I might be willing to show you. Just let me be in full armor first." He rapped his knuckles on the metal chest piece he had worn for the sparring match. "This won't be enough protection."

I scoffed at him. "What if I am actually decent with a sword and you just do not know it?"

"Yeah, keep dreaming." Link shook his head. "Are you sure you're not Wendal's lost sister or something. You keep trying to brag and it's not working."

I shrugged, hoping to drop the subject there. It was a nasty habit I had picked up from Vaati. His sarcasm and boastfulness were apparently infectious. Link still had no idea that I was well acquainted with _Wendal _and I would rather keep it that way. It would only complicate things because Vaati insisted on being a jerk to Link. Actually, he was a jerk to everyone. "Have you thought of something to do yet?" I asked, just to be sure the subject changed.

"Well, I was going to drop this armor off in the barracks first. Then I'm not sure what we should go do."

"Perhaps we will think of something while walking," I suggested, slightly annoyed with the sun by this point. It was too bright outside to be standing around purposelessly.

Link nodded in agreement before beginning to walk. I followed behind him a few steps. We soon came to the entrance of the castle nearest to the guard barracks and entered. The stone walled hallway lead to an open room where the guards had a place to rest, the area complete with a few tables and beds. On the far wall, Link went to hang his borrowed armor piece next to the others.

When he returned to my side he asked "Think of anything?" I shook my head and he sighed. "Me neither."

We took a flight of stairs that lead to the main level of the castle and near the library. As we traveled by the library and to the nearby stairs, something, or rather someone, caught my attention. Vaati held a book in his hands and was standing a few feet away from the stairs. He, of course, noticed me and suddenly got a mischievous smirk on his face. I swallowed nervously, already knowing he was scheming something. Link seemed oblivious to Vaati's presence until we reached the top of the stairs.

Link glared at the lavender haired teen for a moment. Vaati acted as if he was enthralled by the book in front of him and ignoring us. I sighed, knowing there was no escaping whatever Vaati had planned.

When Link decided to go down the stairs, he suddenly tripped and slide painfully down several stairs on his back. I cringed seeing the look on his face. I quickly went down the stairs, hoping that Vaati would spare me the same treatment. When I got to the bottom, I offered Link my hand to help him off of the ground. He accepted and pulled himself up with a pained grunt. As he rubbed his back, he glared back up the stairs at Vaati, knowing full well he had caused the _accident. _Vaati shrugged, acting as if he had no part in the matter. Link gritted his teeth and turned to storm out of the castle. I went to follow him out, only to find myself suddenly slipping and falling down. Just before the fall, I felt a very controlled gust pummel into my ankles. I glared up at Vaati as I stood back up. He smiled cheerfully and shrugged. I rolled my eyes at him. He may have spared me falling down the stairs, but he could not hold back on letting me go without incident. He never did when we happened upon each other during the day. What was worse was he could get away with it and know that I could do nothing in response. Sending Hue after him would cause an uproar and physically attacking him would be me assaulting a noble.

Link and I walked outside, both of us in a huff. We stopped once we were near the fountain, plopping down on the edge at about the same time.

"What is his problem with me," Link grumbled. "What did I ever do to him?"

"I have no idea," I sighed. Vaati's dislike for Link perplexed me. I tried to ask about it once, but got no answer. Perhaps it was time to bring it up with him again.

We sat in silence for a moment, not having a solution for Vaati's ill-mannered behavior. Link still looked quite upset, not to mention sore. Falling down stone stairs could not have been pleasant.

"Whatever," Link mumbled quietly, seemingly putting the incident out of mind for now.

"I agree. He does not deserve the attention he craves," I added. I could imagine that his tricks were for, on one level, attention. Otherwise it was for his own personal enjoyment.

"Got that right." Link leaned back and looked at the sky briefly before looking back at me. "Is it all right if I just go home? My back is killing me now." He looked needlessly apologetic.

"It does not bother me at all. It is not your fault anyway." I stood up and smiled at him. "It was nice to visit with you and Zelda today."

"Yeah." He stood up slowly, grumbling about his back. "See you, then." He walked past me. I heard him mumble "I'll get you back for this, Wendal."

Once I saw Link turn around the corner, I began my walk back to the shop. I honestly had nothing to do, so I might as well help Syrup. Even though she looked incredibly old, she was a hardy witch. I was actually beginning to think she may have created a longevity potion.

The walk back was quick and uninteresting. The streets near the market were packed like any other day. People chattered away about various bits of gossip and other trivial things. I still enjoyed the streets at night more than the overcrowded, noisy streets of day.

I arrived in the shop to find Syrup speaking with a few customers. I silently waved at her just so she knew I was back. Instead of waiting around in the shop, I went directly upstairs to my room. I sat down on the edge of my bed and stared at the items on my desk to find entertainment.

The mirror and brush offered no interest at the moment. The worn potion book would be a last resort considering I had already read it twice since Syrup had given it to me. A newer book of poetry and short stories sat on top of the potion book; I figured I would leave that be because I often read while I tended the shop counter. Link and Zelda had given me it; Zelda had suggested the book and Link actually went and got it. For some strange reason they deemed giving me a birthday present necessary. The only other thing in my room was the lantern Meg had given me a few years ago.

I had yet to see her purpose in giving it to me; it actually annoyed me sometimes. Poes did not hand out gifts without having some purpose. Hue showed how self-serving Poes were. The irritating Poe had grown more detestable lately. He would still follow me around at night, but rarely did we have a pleasant conversation with any meaning. If I asked him something he would ignore me or complain about something else. He also had a habit of disappearing during the day. I hardly ever sensed him nearby when the sun lite the sky. Not that I missed him at all; I had other people to talk with.

Link and Zelda, for some unfathomable reason, seemed to enjoy my company. I usually saw Link a few times a week when he stopped in for potions on behalf of the knights. Sometimes I would also go with him to the castle. He would then go do his training and I would read in the library. Occasionally I would meet Zelda there and talk with her while she took short breaks from her studies. I would also see Vaati in the library; while we avoided each other I could see he was researching something quite avidly. Often he would be at a table piled with old texts and have such a concentrated look he would not even notice my presence. But, like today, when he was not as focused, he would cause some sort of disturbance. It was a game to him, teasing me. It had been ever since we meet.

I heard Syrup call for me from the bottom of my stairs. Without a second thought I stood up and made my way downstairs to help with whatever she needed. Even a mindless task was better than sitting in my room staring down my desk.

* * *

><p>I turned the page in my book lazily, growing bored of reading. Syrup had stayed up later than usual mixing potions, making it difficult for me to leave for my nighttime stroll. She had made it clear that sneaking out was no longer allowed; apparently the recent increase in monsters frightened her. In the last year or so, many more nightmarish creatures wandered the fields and occasionally near the town. Just a few days ago a group of Bublins had attacked a trade caravan, wiping out most of the group with burning arrows and clubs. While Syrup had the right to be nervous, I felt perfectly safe inside the stone walls. Her worry of my walking around at night was bordering on ridiculous.<p>

I placed my book on my face, done trying to act like I was reading. Syrup was still awake, the sound of the spoon striking the side of the kettle as she stirred a clear indication to her where-abouts. After a while of waiting I started to feel myself drifting off. That is until I heard a high pitched screech, which successfully startled me into sitting up. My hand also swatted whatever had made the wretched noise to the floor. I frowned when I saw a single eyed bat creature laying on the floor. As it flew back into the air, I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for the messenger to state its purpose.

The creature flew towards the window and waited for me to follow. I sighed, considering whether or not to ignore it. Syrup did not usually check if I was in bed, so if I left I would have to be extremely quiet. She had better hearing than I did, I swear. The winged monster squeaked at me, urging me to open the window. I was actually wondering how it made its way inside considering the closed window and door, but decided not to question it for now. I would likely not appreciate the answer.

I slowly opened the window, being sure not to cause an unnecessarily loud creak. The bat may have already alerted Syrup something was happening; the window would assure her I was up to no good. I carefully climbed through the window and onto the overhang, only creating a light tap on the ground. Once out, I closed the window. I slowly crept to the edge of roof, avoiding areas I knew created creaks when stepped upon. When I reached the edge, I jumped down, landing as softly as I could manage.

The bat reappeared in front of me and began leading me down the streets. It mainly kept to the darkened alleys and streets where guards were seldom posted. I soon found myself next to the deserted tower on the edge of time. Without wasting time, I climbed the ladder like I had plenty of times before. Since our first encounter, the tower became a meeting place for us.

When I reached the top I swung my leg over the edge and pulled myself over. I then leaned back, waiting to be acknowledged. The bat perched on its master's shoulder.

"It took you quite a while to get here," Vaati mocked as he turned to face me. "Did you get hurt when you tripped earlier?"

"Not as bad as Link did." I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. "I have yet to find your motive in being as cruel as you are towards Link."

"Angry at me for making a fool of your favorite knight, are you?"

"Why do you dislike Link so much?" I asked, knowing that if I took his bait the subject would be lost.

"Persistent, today, I see." He rolled his eyes. "I just do not like him. His very existence somehow irritates me."

I raised my eyebrow at him, not understanding how he hated someone without knowing them.

"You clearly do not understand; have you not taken an immediate dislike of someone upon meeting them?" When I did not respond he rolled his eyes. "Not even me?" He asked.

"No," I answered truthfully. "I found you irritating, but interesting enough to tolerate."

At this he chuckled. He motioned for me to stand next to him. I expected him to show me something when I arrived next to him, but was surprised when he wrapped his arm around my waist and forced me to jump off the side of the tower with him. He created a gust of wind that slowed our landing enough to be uninjured from leaping from such a height. Once on the ground, he rudely dropped me, causing me to land on my hands and knees. While I stood up and brushed the mud and grass off of myself, he began walking.

"There was no need for that," I grumbled when I caught up with him. I could see a smirk on his face. "Do you not worry about being attacked out here?" I asked after a few minutes of blindly following him. The further we went into the fields, the more likely we would be attacked by monsters.

"Worry about Bulblins? Are you serious?" He raised his eyebrow at me, causing me to look at the ground. "Such pathetic creatures are no match for me. Are you doubting my ability again?"

"No. I was more worried for myself than you." I paused, taking note that Hue had indeed left me again. Without him, I really had no protection of my own.

"The Poes are not subjects of your will. It must be irritating."

I nodded my head. I had no control over them; Poes did what _they _wanted. Vaati could summon those bat creatures that listened to his every command. It was maddening that I had so little control over Poes. Of course, why should Poes listen to me? I was not stronger than them. I provided no advantage to them. I could only speak with them and sense them.

We fell into silence. I walked a few steps behind Vaati, trying to decide where he was leading me. I had not been outside the city often enough to know where Vaati would even want to go. Wherever it was, it had to be east of town. I noted this as we passed by the eastern gate.

Soon we arrived to a strange area that seemed to have no discernable purpose. A few rows of stone stairs lead down to a flat area with three pillars, two of which had crumbled and fallen to the ground. The area sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking Lake Hylia. Admittedly it was quite a scenic location that likely looked beautiful during the sunset or sunrise. The moonlight only gave the gray stones a dim glow and most detailing in the stonework was lost in shadow.

Vaati rested his arms on top of the wall and looked out at the dark lake far below. I went to his side, not entirely sure why we had come to such a place. It doubt it was for the view. When he remained silent for a few minutes, I decided to speak.

"Have you found out anything new?" I tilted my head and looked at him. "About yourself, I mean."

He blew the hair in front of his eye out of the way. "Nothing in great detail. Apparently the oldest records were lost years ago and the remaining is either of little relevance or in an old dialect."

"I thought that you were able to read that?" He bragged about it to me a few times; reading old Hylian had been one of his specialties.

"Some, not all, Eivie." He sighed irritably, like he always did when discussing his memory. "For some reason it is… hazy. I know that I should know how to read it, but something is interfering."

I nodded absentmindedly. He was really bothered by this, by the fuzzy memories. He hated not knowing what they meant. Vaati griped about them often enough it was obvious he was annoyed by it even if he never directly said so. I knew better than to continue the conversation and let it end there.

After a needed silence, I asked "Why did you want to come here? I can see nothing significantly interesting here."

His answer was a shrug. When I rolled my eyes, he smiled crookedly. "Eivie," he began, his tone making me wary, "where is it you came from again?"

My brow creased, not sure what to think of the sudden inquiry. He never asked such things before; I had volunteered the personal information if I felt it to be necessary. "A village in the Faron Woods. Why do you ask?"

His smirk grew. "Do you happen to know the name of that village?"

"I…" I paused, having to think. The name… the name escaped me. "Or…Ordon, I believe."

He looked like he was holding back a laugh now. "Oh, that is great." He finally let a chuckle escape. "With your looks?" He took my hand and held it in my face, showing off my awful nails. He also motioned to my eyes. "That must have been nightmarish," he laughed. If he continued, I would call it hysterical laughing.

"What do you know?"

"Nothing at all," he said, completely straight faced. He then turned away from me, keeping hold of my hand and dragging me behind him as he walked. He took me to the one standing pillar and a sudden tornado-like wind dropped us on top of the pillar. He dropped my hand and faced me again, saying, "_Nothing at all_, little Eivie." I was about to say his name plaintively when he held up his hand to silence me. His sly grin warned me he was about to do something irksome. "Have fun," he said, shoving me off of the pillar.

He used his magic to stop me from slamming into the ground, but that did not make me feel any better about the situation he had just thrown me into. Approaching quickly were two Bokoblins, both holding large, deadly looking cleavers above their heads as they ran.

I stumbled back a few steps until I felt the pillar behind my back. "V-Vaati?" I looked up him, panicked.

"Life and death situations supposedly bring out one's true strength," he commented, sitting on the tower with a bored look on his face. "Consider this a test."

"Please, Vaati, help me," I begged, my heart racing at the sight of the monsters. When he gave no response, I grit my teeth and tried to focus on the situation. "Hue?" I called. When we arrived here I felt his presence. "Hue!" I yelled angrily. "You _will _protect me or I shall eliminate you myself."

The gold Poe finally responded and materialized in front of the charging Bokoblins. He lazily swung his lantern into one of the attacking creatures, the other continued on with its sights set on me. I narrowly avoided its first swing, the monster's blade smashing into the pillar with a horrendous screech. With Hue occupied, I was left on my own.

While the Bokoblin pulled its cleaver-like weapon out of the stone, I tried to put some distance between us. I had made it several feet by the time it looked ready for another charge. Even with so much adrenaline rushing through me, my brain could not formulate a plan. It screamed shrilly before coming after me once more. With the stairs to my back and rubble all around, I had no escape. I stood my ground, hoping that I could perhaps dodge the attack. When it was within swinging distance, I stepped back, losing balance after slipping on a stray rock. I fell onto the ground, the Bokoblin only a step away from me. I held my arms in front of me and snapped my eyes closed.

The monster made a gurgling, choking noise, causing me to open my eyes to investigate. I found my hands were on fire. For a second I panicked, not knowing what was happening. Then I noticed the fire was blue and gave off no heat. I looked at the Bokoblin, which stood in front of me, weapon raised, but seemingly unable to attack. I had to act while I could.

As soon as I stood, the blue flames disappeared. I quickly went to the monster and pried the cleaver away from it. It got over whatever shock I had caused it and yelled at me, trying to claw at me to regain control over its weapon. I swung the blade instinctually, not wanting the Bokoblin to get any closer. The creature fell to the ground, the blade buried into its neck.

I stumbled back a step, scared. I had…I had killed it. I looked away from the dead monster.

Hue stared at me, ignoring the Bokoblin he had been fighting. He seemed shocked. Vaati jumped down from his perch on the pillar, knocking the other Bokoblin off of the cliff with a strong gust. He stepped around the dead Bokoblin at my feet. I finally dropped the cleaver to the ground, my fingers numb from how hard I had been gripping the handle.

"I had not expected that," Vaati congratulated.

"What did…" I trailed off, unable to continue.

"A jinx spell," he explained. "You made it impossible for it to use its weapon for a short time." He smiled. "You are more interesting than I thought, it seems."

I held my hands in front of me, flexing them, trying to get the blue flames to return. When I had no luck, I let my arms fall to my sides. It was then I noticed Vaati walking away. "Where are you going?"

"It will be dawn soon."

I stared at him. "And you are just going to leave me here?" I looked over my shoulder at the seemingly shell-shocked Hue who had not moved. If Vaati left, I would essentially be by myself. I was not about to see if I could manage a _jinx_ _spell_ if another monster showed up.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "That had been the plan. I have places to be in the morning and you are incredibly slow."

I glared at him, knowing he was insulting my intelligence and not how fast I walked. I had enough of his irritating mannerisms for the night. "Vaati, you are among the lowliest creatures ever to walk Hyrule."

Instead of being insulted he scoffed and smiled. "Eivie, you have no idea how similar the two of us are. You might as well have insulted yourself just now." He resumed walking, not waiting for a response.

I watched after him for a while, somewhat confused by his words. We shared some similarities, yes, but the way he said it hinted at something else. He knew something more than he told.

"You," Hue suddenly screeched accusingly. I turned to him to see him pointing at me. "You!" He shouted. His body shook, from fear or anger, I did not know. He faded from sight and soon after left. His behavior was more off than usual, both worrying me and confusing me.

I decided to go back to town. There was no need to stand in the middle of Hyrule Field contemplating when I could do the same in the safety of my room. The thought of my room also reminded me that Syrup may have noticed me gone. My pace became quicker at the thought of her catching me sneaking back into my room.

_Sometimes the past is better left forgotten._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Thank you all for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! This was a long chapter, wow. I hope you all enjoyed it. And, now, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. Seriously, I could hug you all for your kind words and encouragement! And I'm still considering switching the rating to M, because, in the fight scene, I wanted to be a bit -**_**a tiny bit**_**- more graphic for more impact. I'll wait for now and see what the next chapters require. If anyone has an opinion of this, feel free to tell me. **

**guesty- Thank you for your review. This **_**is **_**actually my first fanfic, so your advice is exactly what I needed in regards to Eivie. I did not want to create a horrible Mary Sue. Your review helped me see what the readers would think of Eivie at the moment. I'm happy to say that most of the Sue traits you pointed out already have explanations in later chapters, but you also sparked some fantastic ideas (so thanks!). I'm also really happy you liked the idea of monsters vs****.**** humans and the pacing of the story. Thank you, again, it means a lot to me! **

**Miss Ominous- I'm so happy you like the storyline! And, wow, I'm flattered that you consider me one of the best authors on here. I did not think that I would be hearing that, so thank you! Also, feel free to point out any mistakes I make. I'm always looking to improve. Thank you for reviewing! **

**Awkward passerby- I don't know how long Eivie will be a Sue, but if she stays one I'm happy you'd stick around! I never thought of a Mary Sue as describing an author before, it's an interesting concept. I guess I'll just mention that Eivie and I do share some things in common, though. It's easier to write from her POV that way. Thanks for the review! **

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I found my way back home, exhausted from all of the recent events. My legs were sore from walking and standing most of the day. The scrapes on my hands and knees that I had received from falling stung. My head actually felt like it hurt from trying to figure out every little detail of today and if something had meaning or could be ignored. Vaati and Hue had successfully created an uproar in my mind with their strange behavior and words.

When I crawled through the window, for once in my life, I wanted to sleep. I longed for sleep just to quiet my thoughts for a few hours of peace. After closing the window and changing into my nightgown, I laid down on my bed, my eyes falling closed automatically.

It only felt like minutes had passed when the sun warmed my face enough to become uncomfortable. I groggily opened my eyes, still unbelievably tired. Despite not wanting to move, I forced myself up and over to my table to comb my hair. I needed to get dressed and go downstairs. The longer I stayed up here, the more questions Syrup would ask me. If she even suspected I had gone out last night, she would not let me out her sight, or, for that matter, earshot. Once she got going about something, she would talk for hours. She would be suspicious enough with how late I had gotten up.

I went down the stairs slowly, listening to what was going on in the shop. From the lack of noise, I guessed it was either empty or only a few quiet patrons were browsing the shelves. I first peeked around the corner of the doorframe, only to curse my luck. There were no customers. It would only be Syrup and me. As quietly and nonchalantly as I could, I walked into the shop and to a shelf I noticed needed rearranging.

"Eivie."

I swallowed nervously as I slowly turned towards her. For a second I looked at her face, seeing disappointment and slight irritation. I looked at the floor guiltily, already knowing I was about to be chastised.

"I thought I told you not to go wandering around at night."

I gave a barely noticeable shrug in response. Why had I even considered it possible that she would _not _know?

"It's dangerous! Why can't you understand that?" She stood from where she sat behind the counter. "I know you think you'll be okay, but there is a limit to what you should and shouldn't do. Those Poes are monsters; they will not protect you from everything, Eivie."

"I do not rely on them alone!" I spat back, surprising myself. "I am capable of protecting myself, especially in town. Monsters cannot invade without notice; the guards will stop them. And, even then, I am not a helpless child."

"Your Poes show that monsters can and will get into the city. And do you know how many knights have been coming back injured in monster attacks? I do not care if you _think_ you can protect yourself. I want to _know_ you are safe, which is easiest when I know where you are!"

"I…" I closed my mouth, not wanting to let another careless statement to be said. Her words were true, and her worries warranted. My actions were completely selfish, but that did not make me want to give into her will. Instead of waiting for her to continue her speech, I decided to leave. I went to the door and opened it.

"Where are you going?" Syrup asked at the same moment I was closing the door behind me.

I stopped and glanced over my shoulder to look at her. She seemed exasperated with me. "I will be back soon," I said, before reconsidering and adding, "Before nightfall, at the latest." I left without giving her a chance to react.

I walked down the streets blindly, not caring where I was. I needed to concentrate on more important things than where I was going. Even the disagreement with Syrup needed to be pushed to the back of my mind for now. Too many things had happened last night that I had not had time to analyze.

It all began when Vaati asked where I had come from originally. Not only was it odd for him to ask about my past, he seemed genuinely curious about it. He then deliberately pointed out my nails and eyes, noting that they must have made my life there _nightmarish_. It was an odd word for him to use; normally one might equate it to sympathy. He knew that my eyes had been disliked by the villagers, like the event was exclusive to the village. Of course, when I came to Castle Town, no one seemed to care how I looked. Was this all somehow related? How had Vaati pieced things together? I sighed, not having answers to my own questions.

Then he had to call us similar. I would admit we were both odd in our own ways, but not similar enough that he would say so. He prided himself on how different he was; what he alone was capable of. His magic had set him apart from everyone. It was possible he simply meant that since I could use that jinx spell we are similar, but it just did not fit his character. He loved to play mind games. Why would he bother to make a comparison for something as simple as using magic? He had a meant something else by the comment, but I was apparently too stupid to figure it out.

Hue was the most troublesome, though. I had not sensed him since the Bokoblin attack. I even made sure to walk by the cemetery on the way back last night, thinking he would go back to what was his favorite hiding place. There was no sign of the gold Poe, leading me to believe he had been angry for whatever reason. Honestly, what had I done? I doubt my idle threat last night intimidated him at all, let alone into leaving. Was it a reaction to the jinx spell? If it had been, why did it make him disappear? It was a small bit of magic; I doubt I could even hurt him with it. Poe's were not physical beings most of the time, unlike the Bokoblin. The jinx may not even affect incorporeal beings.

Suddenly I ran into someone, successfully bringing me out of my thoughts and back to the physical world. I was about to apologize to the unfortunate soul I had smashed into, only to stop, noticing who I ran into.

"Hey, Eivie," Link greeted. "You okay?"

"I am fine." I looked around, noticing my feet had somehow brought me to the castle gates. That explained why Link was here. "I was just thinking over a few things, is all."

"A few things? It looked like you were thinking about the meaning of life or something. I mean, you ran into me and almost walked into the fountain." He pointed, causing me to see that I was indeed almost to the fountain. "Is something bothering you?"

I shook my head, but Link gave me a disbelieving look. "I had a disagreement with Syrup, is all. It is not very important," I lied. "There is no need to discuss it."

"If you say so," Link said slowly. He appeared hesitant to believe I was fine. "If you want to talk about you can tell me anytime."

I gave a half smile. Link was a good listener, I had talked to him about problems I had with Syrup a few times before, actually. He advised me it was normal to disagree with parental figures, reminding me that Syrup did treat me like a grandchild or child more than I believed she did. "Thank you, Link."

"Yeah," he said as he rubbed the back of his head and looked at the castle. I was likely keeping him from something.

It was then, though, that I had a sudden question to ask him. The fountain had reminded me. "Link, may I ask you something?"

"Umm, yes, I guess," he responded, somewhat surprised.

"What did you think of me when we first met? My appearance, more specifically."

"Huh?" His eyebrows came together. "I… I don't know what you're really asking. I mean, I saw you sitting there alone and decided to talk to you. I thought maybe you were lonely, or something. I don't know."

"What about my eye color? Had you not found it strange?"

"Well, I guess, sort of. But an eye color's an eye color, right? Why does it matter?"

"You made no comparison between my eyes and something else?"

"Eivie, what do you want me to say? I give up. Why is this suddenly so important?"

"It is not important." I had what information I needed. "Thank you for answering my silly questions."

"Um, all right? You sure you're okay?"

"Perfectly so," I answered as I walked past him, hoping he would drop the subject now.

He mumbled an okay before saying goodbye, then leaving to go about his business. I began walking blindly again, mulling over the bit of information I had received from Link. He had proved one of my earlier theories. My eye color only mattered in the village. When I came to Castle Town, there was no preconceived connection between my yellow eyes and Poes. Vaati had meant my similarities with Poes somehow made the villagers wary of me, while Castle Town had not made that connection. Here my eye color was merely an odd color. The villagers had seen it as dangerous, the sign of a monster. Now I had to figure out what this all meant, which seemed another chore to accomplish.

When I finally had my fill of walking, I returned to the shop. I sneaked in through my window, deciding I did not want to deal with Syrup right now. I fell asleep for a while, waking up sometime in the early evening. I then decided to read the poem book instead of going downstairs. For once I felt relaxed and not immensely irritated, which is exactly why someone had to ruin the moment.

Syrup called me down to the shop. When I arrived, she pointed to the counter. I understood that she needed to go back and brew up some more potions and needed me to watch the shop. Apparently she did not wish to discuss our earlier argument either. There was only one customer in the shop, who honestly seemed more interested in looking than buying. I had to explain to him how various potions worked and what some of the ingredients were. When he finally left I was very irritated he had the gall to ask a bunch of questions and then leave without a single drop of potion. He had no reason to bother me with some many pointless questions. When it was time to close for the day, I locked the door and went about straightening the shelves. Once that was done I quickly went back to my room, knowing that Syrup would want to talk.

I closed my door and turned around, my eyes widening in shock. I heart felt like it skipped a beat I had been so surprised. Vaati seemed to be making himself at home in my room. He sat on the edge of my bed, paging through the book I had left open on my table.

"What are you doing in my room?"

He chuckled at my mortified tone. "I only came to see if you made it back in one piece last night," he answered in a bored tone, still finding the book more interesting than explaining himself to me.

"I doubt that is your sole reason for being here."

"And you would be correct." He closed the book, stood up, walked towards me, and stopped a foot away from me. "Where is that Poe of yours?"

"Hue?" I frowned in confusion. "I have not seen him since last night. Why do you ask?"

He ignored me. He looked like he was considering the information and how to respond to Hue's absence. "I will be attending a banquet at the castle tonight," he suddenly stated. Now that he mentioned it, his hair was held back by a ponytail; usually he only did this when he had to go the castle with his family. Apparently it was the compromise Mr. Ansel had made with Vaati when he insisted on having long hair. "I will be unavailable for most of this evening," he added.

I had no idea why he was bothering to tell me this. Especially in person; rarely did he come fetch me himself, he sent those bats instead. For him to just show and tell me something had me suspicious.

"Why are you here?" I asked again.

"I would avoid being here later if you have any attachment to the witch," he warned instead of answering. "I will be leaving a sentry with you." Before I could protest, one of the creatures suddenly appeared in front of me. "I would consider bothering that knight to accompany you as well."

I was about to ask him to explain when he held up his hand to silence me. He smirked and that is when he vanished from the room. He had teleported. I stared in awe, but then I became slightly angry. He had learned yet another spell that could potentially be very annoying. Actually, it already was considering he had shown up and left without giving a proper explanation.

The bat fluttered in front of me, its single red eye focused on me. I sighed, knowing that for the rest of the night the creepy thing would be staring at me. Not to mention the warning Vaati gave me. Whatever was happening, Syrup was somehow in danger if I stayed here. If I were to believe him, I would be forced to sneak out. What really threw me was Vaati suggesting I go visit Link. If only Vaati gave me his reasoning instead of being so cryptic about his motives. It would save me time and let me make informed decisions. I did not like that he expected to listen to him simply because he told me to do something.

Syrup called me back downstairs, her voice demanding and obviously fed up with my avoidance. I sighed, knowing there was no more running away. For now, I would listen to her complaints. Tonight I was going to sneak out, I had decided, because if Vaati bothered to warn me, it must be important.

"Stay out of sight," I whispered to the sentry, not knowing if it turn invisible or not. It likely could, considering Vaati's skill at creating the odd bat creatures.

It squeaked in response. I nodded and walked through my door to the stairs. I was prepared for the needless lecture that surely lied ahead.

* * *

><p>The streets were very dark tonight. Clouds, and perhaps a coming storm, blocked the light of the moon and stars from illuminating the night. I had made my way to the east side of town, not entirely sure what to do with myself. Syrup had lectured me for quite a while before finally deciding to go to bed. I had not said much, choosing only to answer with simple yeses or noes. I made no promises to uphold her rules, but I still felt slightly bad for deceiving her and sneaking out. No matter how much I tried to justify my actions by telling myself it was for her safety and not simply my enjoyment, I generally felt guilty for my actions. I could tell her concern was genuine; she feared me getting hurt, or worse, killed.<p>

I shook my head, trying to concentrate on where I was going rather than my thoughts. In choosing to come to the east side of town, I risked stumbling upon guards. The east side was had many of the middle and upper class housing, which is why the number of guards stationed here was more dense than other areas. Usually I avoided such guarded areas, but tonight I had come here on a whim. Well, perhaps more than a whim. Link lived in this district.

Suddenly I heard a few voices around the next corner, causing me to duck into the shadows of the nearest building. It was a few men, possibly even guards if the occasional metallic sounds were armor pieces knocking together. They were speaking in almost hushed tones, making it had to make out what they were saying at first. It took a moment for me to concentrate on their voices and not the background noises of the night.

"What do you think happened?" a younger sounding man asked quietly. "Is it possible a monster got into town?"

"I hope that's not the case," another guard added. "But then that would mean a person did this."

"Can someone even do this? I mean… it's bad. Really bad." The young guard seemed nervous, his voice uneven and barely above a whisper.

"Yeah. This is one of the worst things I've seen in years," a third guard added. He sounded the most experienced of the group. He spoke in a hushed, but otherwise normal tone. He did not seem as bothered by whatever they were looking at. "Revous, go get the grave keeper and inform him we'll be taking a body over soon."

"Yes, sir!" I heard the young guard's footsteps echo as he quickly walked away.

"I'll stay here, you go back to the barracks and tell anyone around that there may be a monster in the city," the apparent leader of the group dismissed the other guard.

I backed into the wall as much as I could when I heard the guard coming my way. He jogged past me, missing my location in the shadows. Once he was well away, I cautiously walked forward, being sure not to make a sound. I wanted to know; curiosity would not allow me to simply walk away.

As I got closer, I could see the glow of a torch lighting the narrow street. I stopped, nearly vomiting at the smell of blood in the air. I turned away as soon as I saw the dark pool spilling onto the street. I covered my mouth as I walked well away from the scene, wishing I had not looked in the first place. Not only was the scene horrific, I was reminded of the Bokoblin I had killed only last night. I was not used to seeing such things. Blood bothered me; it always bothered me. I could not place the emotion I felt upon seeing it, but it made me immensely uncomfortable.

I leaned against a building and stared at the sky, trying to calm down and forget what I had seen. The moment I thought I would be fine, I felt a chill run up my spine. My skin seemed to crawl with a bizarre mixture of fear and anger. It took a moment to pinpoint my discomfort, but the answer only made me more unsettled. I could sense Hue nearby, perhaps within a few hundred feet, but with him I could sense something else. Two other Poes traveled with him; two that I did not recognize. They felt different from Hue and even the sisters. They seemed more malevolent, if I had to describe the chilling feeling I got from their mere presence.

I quickly went the opposite direction. The feeling they gave me was completely wrong and it terrified me. I did not want them anywhere near me. I nearly ran to Link's home on the edge of the eastern district. Without even thinking I knocked on his door and shifted my wait impatiently. When I heard someone walking, I almost bounced up and down, hoping he would just open the door and let me in. The second the door opened I barged in and closed the door behind me.

"Eivie?" Link yawned, trying to keep his eyes open. "Why are you here?"

I was too busy trying to slow my breathing and silence the sound of my heart beating to answer.

"What's wrong?" He sounded more awake now. "Did something happen?"

"I…" I had no idea what to tell him. "I was out walking and I think I saw a monster."

"In the city?" he nearly shouted. "Are you okay? Where at? Did you tell someone?"

"I am fine. I just… got somewhat scared and… came here, I guess. I was closer to the middle of town but still in the eastern district. You are the first person I have told because I am still unsure if I saw anything or not."

Link went to the other side of the room where a wooden wardrobe sat. He opened the doors. "We need to go tell the knights and get you back home." He pulled a chain mail tunic on over his beige shirt, and then another green tunic over the top of the mail. He quickly put on a pair of boots. Link fastened his sword to his back and grabbed his shield. "Come on, I'll keep you safe."

I reluctantly followed him out of the house. Hue and the other two had been drawing nearer. I had a feeling they knew where I was and that they would soon be upon Link and I judging by how fast they were traveling. They were likely flying above the buildings, meaning they had little obstacles to avoid.

"Link," I said nervously, stopping. We were in an empty area devoid of any people.

Link stopped a few feet away from. "What is it?"

"Link, we should stay here."

"What are you talking about? We need to go tell the guards!" He turned away, determined to continue on to the castle.

I saw a gold blur suddenly appear on Link's side, ready to slam a flaming lantern into his head.

"Link," I screeched, tackling him the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack Hue had aimed at Link. I stumbled to my feet and wasted no time helping Link up as well. He drew his sword as I turned to face Hue. "What are you doing, you despicable creature?"

Hue laughed, something he rarely did. "Despicable? You are the one that deserves such a title."

I stared at the Poe, not understanding him.

The sound of Link drawing his sword caught my attention. "A Poe?"

"What is the meaning of this Hue?" I shouted, my hands forming into fists as I glared at him.

He floated away, taking a position well out of Link's reach. His eyes glowed in the darkness, focused on me. Suddenly two other creatures floated down, placing themselves between Hue and me. The new monsters looked like a pieced together doll, stiches seemingly holding them together. Both of them carried a blue-flamed lantern by their feet. Each one held a scythe, both ready to attack with their horrifying weapons.

"Lanterns?" Link mumbled.

"You are the one," a scythe wilding monster stated.

"The one that betrayed the master," the other added.

"You are to be eliminated," the creatures said perfect unison.

One flew forward, scythe poised to slash me in half. I barely avoided the attack, retreating back to Link's side. He looked confused.

I remembered him mumbling "lanterns" a few seconds ago. "Can you not see them?"

"See what?" Link sounded just as panicked as I was.

"Carrying the lanterns are two ghosts, both with scythes." I pushed him to the side when the other came in for an attack. "Just avoid being near the lanterns for now," I advised. I needed a plan, which was hard to make considering the impish Poes kept swinging their scythes around.

I tried to use a jinx spell, just hoping to distract the Poe for a moment to retreat. When the spell failed, I found one of the Imps flying towards me. When I thought it would reach me, the sentry Vaati had left me flew in front of me. Its eye glowed for a second before a bright beam of light shot at the Poe. The creature retreated from the beam, only the scythe being hit with the intensely hot laser. That proved magic based attacks were effective, but a sword was another matter.

"Try breaking the lantern," I yelled to Link. "Just be quick and move away as soon as you can."

Link nodded and went about the plan immediately. He held up his shield as he tried to get closer to the Imp Poe. He charged forward, not allowing the creature time to attack. He swung his sword. The Poe hissed as it quickly retreated into the air and out of reach. Its retreat showed the lantern was vulnerable to physical attacks. Link understood this and remained focused on the Poe, waiting for a chance to fight back. That left me to deal with the other imp and Hue if he decided to join the fight.

It was then I noticed the imp I was focused on had a bloodstained scythe. I growled, knowing that it had been the one to attack that poor person the guards' found dead in the street. The Poes had killed an innocent man while searching for me. I no longer felt any hesitation about dismantling the creature piece by piece.

"Sentry, distract it," I ordered the bat. It squeaked before flying in the face of the Poe and attempting to blast it with a laser.

I walked forward, flexing my hands at my sides. I had gone from completely terrified to irrationally livid. Rage was the sole emotion I felt in that moment. The blue flames of the jinx spell appeared, my arms shrouded by the cold flames. As the Poe moved out of the way of the sentry's attack, I came from behind and showered the creature in fire. It screeched as it tried to fly in to the air. I grabbed the scythe's staff, preventing the Poe from escaping. It was fully visible now and no longer a phantom invulnerable to attack. I managed to wrestle the scythe from its desperate grip. While raising the weapon above my head, I stomped on the lantern, hearing it crack. The Poe wailed once before letting out an enraged scream, struggling to free itself without further damaging the precious lantern.

It took only a moment to let the scythe fall and imbed itself into the helpless imp.

It took only a moment to lift it again. And again. And again. I had no control over myself; I just kept slashing at the now dead creature, feeling only anger and… and glee.

"He has the right to fear you," Hue commented, causing me to stop and stare at him. "The one that lost has risen again, it seems."

I finally released the scythe and let it fall to the ground with a loud clatter. My body shook as I stared at the aftermath of what I did. The anger was gone and replaced with fear and repulsion at my actions. I had not meant to do this. I had not wanted this. But why? Why did I? Why?

"You will not live for long." Hue began to fade away from sight and drifted upwards into the sky. "It is clear you must be wiped from existence once more."

I could not find my voice. I wanted to beg Hue to tell me what he was talking about. He faded into nothingness, leaving the area and perhaps even Castle Town. I could only stare after him, my body shaking.

"Eivie?" Link's voice sounded uncertain. "Are you… What happened?"

I slowly turned, not sure what to do. He heard me talking with the Poes. He saw the jinx spell. He saw my unnecessary cruelty in killing that Poe. How would I even begin to explain my actions? To prove I was not a monster myself?

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><p><strong>AN- Sorry for the sort-of cliffhanger! I just didn't want to jam everything into one chapter. As you can see, things are starting to get interesting (I hope). The conflict is here and making itself know! Vaati knows more than he's letting on, Link just saw Eivie with her Poe "friends", Hue has made it clear he works for someone else, and Eivie had a bit of an uncontrollable anger problem. I won't end on a fight scene next chapter either (I think two in a row is enough). Thank you for reading and all that! Seriously, I really appreciate you all! Glad to see Awkward passerby and Miss Ominous again in the reviews! Seeing those made me immediately begin work on this chapter, actually. If the rating needs to be changed or trigger warnings added or something, feel free to tell me so. Right now, I think its fine, but that's just me. **

**Awkward passerby- I'm sorry for the cliffhanger again! At least it's not a life or death situation, right? I try to end it with a little lead in for the next chapter, sort of like a preview, I guess. I also don't want to give out all the information right away to keep things interesting and somewhat suspenseful. I hope it doesn't frustrate you too much. Thank you for reviewing again! **

**Miss Ominous- Yep, the pace has quickened. I knew after I introduced the characters I could unleash the plot and all the conflict that comes with it! And Hue is being a cryptic bugger and not spilling everything yet. Soon, though, his master will become known. Thank you for reviewing again!**

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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><p>"Eivie?" Link's voice sounded uncertain. "Are you… What happened?"<p>

I slowly turned, not sure what to do. He heard me talking with the Poes. He saw the jinx spell. He saw my unnecessary cruelty in killing that Poe. How would I even begin to explain my actions? To prove I was not a monster myself?

"I…" My voice was unsteady and quiet. "I didn't…"

"Eivie, were you… talking to them? You were talking with the Poes?" He nearly shouted the final part. His words were filled with suspicion, shock, and perhaps even hurt.

"I can… I can explain." I had to look away from him. The expression of betrayal was ever present in his eyes. "I have been able to sense them for a long time. That gold one used to follow me around but suddenly abandoned me. I do not know why, but the Poes have turned against me." I looked back up, trying to sound determined, I said, "I had not meant for them to attack anyone. I had no part in ordering them to do so. Please, believe me when I say I meant no harm."

"And what about that blue fire, then? That was magic. Where did you learn that?" His harsh, accusatory tone remained.

"I discovered how to use that spell accidentally only a day ago."

"And that bat-thing?" He pointed to the sentry that hovered only a few feet away from me. "I've had a horde of those things attack me before! I know Wendal controls them, so why is it with you?"

I cringed, not expecting Link to recognize the sentry as Vaati's. I should have guessed, though. Vaati found using his magic for trickery endlessly entertaining. "He sent it with me," I answered honestly. I may as well share all of my lies; he hates me already anyway.

"Why would he do that?" Link seemed genuinely confused, reminding me that I never quite figured out why Vaati had given me the sentry.

"I am not entirely sure. I have known him for a while, but he is more of an acquaintance than a friend. I promise I have not condoned his tricks against you."

Link frowned, but did not speak. He only stared at me. He was judging me, I could tell, and I could not blame him. I had been keeping a fair amount of information from him. For now, all I could do was try to hold myself together and not lose my little remaining dignity be breaking down in front of him. If I lost him I essentially lost my best friend. The prospect seemed horrifying.

He sighed after a long silence. "You _will_ be telling me _everything _later. Right now, we need to get you home and report that Poes were in the city." He walked past me briskly, showing he was trying to be business-like and fulfill his duties as a knight rather than discussing personal matters at such a dangerous time. "Come on," he said when he noticed I had yet to move.

I nodded weakly before following him, dragging my feet and focusing on the cobblestone street. Why had things become so complicated? Only a day ago I had felt relatively normal, but I was suddenly thrust back into the questioning nature that had been my childhood. Once more, I understood nothing and I was fully aware that I was bothered by my own ignorance.

The question of Poes' motive had returned with a more nefarious edge. The nonsense of their pledge to eliminate me for my supposed betrayal of their master the most worrying. I honestly had no idea who they were speaking of. As if I could provide such a threat to a powerful master of Poes. I could use a jinx spell; hardly something dangerous to an entire class of monsters as well as its strongest members.

Even my own behavior was beginning to seem foreign to me. I had been terrified of the Bokoblin and the Poes. I could not bear the thought of the murder victim's demise. Yet I had somehow become so enraged with that Poe that I slashed it into a mangled pile of flesh. I had gone from one extreme emotion to another so quickly and without warning I could not remember what I had been thinking about at the time. I only felt those emotions and nothing else, leaving an irritating gape in my memory, making me question what specifically had triggered the intense loathing and rage to take over and allow me to commit such actions, even if it had been but an attacking monster.

"Link, I am sorry," I mumbled, unsure if he heard me or not. I now regretted lying to him for so long. He was one of the few that may have actually accepted the fact I could communicate with Poes. That is, if he had not witnessed the savagery of tonight, he could have. Now it was very uncertain if he would even speak to me again. "I should have told you sooner."

He glanced over his shoulder before looking forward once more. "Why didn't you?"

My lips twitched, attempting to form a pathetic smile. At least he would allow me to further explain my actions. "In Ordon, the people feared me because of the Poes. I had not wanted the same thing to happen here." As an afterthought, I added quietly, "I thought no one would talk to me if they knew."

"You could have told me, you know." Link sighed. "I get that you were nervous, but still… This isn't something you keep from people."

"I know," I whispered, fully agreeing with him. I should have told him, but I had not because I feared rejection. I should have considered the possibility that it was possible for people to notice on their own.

There was a silence as we came ever nearer to home. I returned my focus to the ground, not wanting to see Link's occasional peeks over his shoulder. He did not trust me following him, his back open for me to attack.

When we reached the entrance of the shop, we both stopped. "Stay here and don't leave for the rest of the night," Link ordered, sounding very much like a knight issuing a command.

I nodded once. "I will not leave for the remainder of the night," I promised.

"We'll talk later, okay?" Link said almost softly, perhaps noticing how depressed I seemed. "I'll listen to what you have to say, but I am still mad at you. Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other."

"Thank you, Link." I managed a smile.

He nodded before beginning his trek to the castle. I watched him walk away for a few seconds before making my way to my room's window. I hauled myself onto the roof and sat down, not wishing to go inside. I hugged my legs to my chest and stared into the starless, clouded sky.

Once my neck began to ache from looking up, I decided to go inside and to bed. There was nothing I could do right now. Sleep also seemed like a nice escape from reality. I carefully slide open the window and crawled inside. It made a slight creak when I closed it, making me cringe and hope Syrup had not heard. I relaxed a bit when I did not hear anything. I grabbed my nightgown and threw it onto the table as I reached for the small hand mirror.

As I expected, dark stains were smudged across my face, arms, and my legs. After rubbing the blood off of my skin, I set my clothes aside, knowing that I would have to clean them as best I could tomorrow. There were a few potions could try using, but odds were my clothes were ruined. I stared at myself in the mirror, noting how dark the area around my eyes had become. I needed sleep or I would continue to look like a ReDead. I actually shuttered at the comparison, remembering the Poe Sisters mentioning that ReDeads were similar to Poes. There may be ReDeads attacking the city soon enough.

I quickly pulled on my nightgown when I noticed the sentry eye watching me. I gave it a backhanded slap and knocked it to the other side of the room, the creature shrieking in surprise. If Vaati could see me, he was probably laughing like a lunatic. He easily could have had that bat hide from sight to spy on me. He just wanted a reaction from me by letting the thing fly around in plain sight. Not that I would prefer either one. I was likely blushing from embarrassment considering how warm my face suddenly felt.

"You are extremely irritating and immature," I stated while glaring at the sentry. It squeaked again and I rolled my eyes at it before letting myself fall back onto my bed. I was too exhausted for this right now. Sleep would be nice considering how much I had to deal with tomorrow. Trying to explain everything to Link would be emotionally draining and hunting down and speaking with Vaati will prove frustrating, I am sure.

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><p>I met him by the fountain early the next morning. I had been surprised at first, not expecting him to arrive so early. In truth, I thought I would have more time to consider how to best explain things to Link, but now I would have no organized plan, leaving me with my lacking social skills to get me through it.<p>

We had been sitting in silence for a few moments. Link seemed to be waiting for me to begin the conversation. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to find words to begin my worst nightmare of explaining my connection with Poes to Link. Link had made it clear he did not like monsters; he knew every guard and knight that was injured or killed by monsters. It was natural for humans to despise monsters as it was instinct for monsters to hunt humans.

"I should have told you," I repeated once more, the statement perfectly reflecting my view of the situation. "When I lived in Faron, there were a number of Poes that lived in the forest. I found that I could understand them and sense them even when they faded from sight. I had isolated myself from the villagers and the Poes were essentially all of the company I had. When I came here, I met Hue, the golden Poe from last night." I paused finally. It felt somewhat good to share this with someone.

Link nodded and took a moment to process the information before asking, "Why are they attacking you now? What happened?"

"Two nights ago, I had been in the fields with…" I almost said Vaati but I corrected myself. "With Wedal when some Bokoblins attacked. He left me to fight them and I accidentally used that spell." I glanced at Link, noticing he frowned even more with the mention of Vaati. "Hue left after that and returned last night."

"Do have any idea why the Poes are coming after you?" He sighed before adding, "Last night, they found a dead beggar. If the Poes keep attacking people…"

"I know. If it should continue, I will leave. There is no point in staying if the Poes are so determined to kill me."

Link looked down at his hands, guilty I was so quick to come to the conclusion the town was better off if I left. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

I nodded. "I do not know why they are trying to kill me, but I have some ideas of where to begin researching. If I cannot find an answer in the library, I will go back to Faron and try questioning some of the Poes there, if possible. Wendal may know something as well," I mumbled with a hint of irritation. Vaati may know something but getting him to tell me may be impossible. "Do you know where he would be?"

"I don't know," Link grumbled, "I try to avoid him as best I can. If he's not in the library or castle, I have no idea where he'd be." Before I said anything, Link quickly asked, "How long have you known him?"

"I met him soon after I met you. Because of how strange his abilities are, I thought that perhaps he would know why I have such a connection with Poes. He is infuriating but knowledgeable."

He rolled his eyes at the mention of Vaati being intelligent. There was a brief pause, both of us watching the people beginning to mill around the open square. Link surprised me with his next statement.

"You were acting sort of strange last night."

I nodded, not having an explanation. I was hoping that perhaps he would let it slip by without needing discussion. "I do not know why I did what I did last night." As vague as my answer was, I did not want to say "brutally killed that Poe" out loud. "I think I will go to the library." I stood up, eager to leave and drop the subject. "Unless you have anything more to ask?"

"No, not right now." Link stood up as well. "I need to go to."

We walked to the gates of the castle together. The guards allowed us both to enter, Link being the sole reason I was able to go as well. Because both his father and Link were well respected, their judgment was trusted. Link had told the guard that I would not be any trouble and that it was perfectly fine for me to enter. I was lucky he still considered me trustworthy enough to enter the castle or finding information would be even more difficult.

Once we entered the courtyard, we parted ways. I went into the castle and directly to the library. I could not rely on the Poes and Vaati to answer all of my questions. I would have to find the answers for myself.

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><p><strong>Sort of a short, almost boring, chapter, I guess. I had planned for a lot more but midterms sort of killed me this week. Discoveries will be made in the library, I assure you of that. But what? The next chapter will hopefully answer some of the nagging questions Eivie has encountered. And a big thank you to everyone that read, faved, and followed! Once more, thank you for the continued support Miss Ominous and Awkward passerby! The next chapter may or may not be posted on Saturday because I have an essay I need to work on this week. It will probably be between Sunday and Wednesday instead. <strong>

**Awkward passerby- I am seriously happy that anyone takes the time to review. The least I can do is tell you how much I appreciate it and to answer any questions! Glad to have you around and thanks for reviewing! **

**Miss Ominous- No problem, even a short review is much appreciated! I know how being tired is… midterms and studying are wearing me out. And I actually never anticipated updating so much, but, after I started and actually knew some people were reading, I got inspired. My ideas fell into place and I actually have the majority of the story –well the general things- outlined. I just have to make individual chapters out of it, which isn't too difficult, meaning fairly quick updates. I'm not sure how long I can keep it up though… life likes to get in the way. Thanks for reviewing again! **

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When I arrived in the library, I tracked down a librarian to help me begin my search. He had seemed a little confused as to why I wished to view old incident reports from the Faron Woods area, but, no matter his feelings, he made himself useful. He managed to find several documents and books pertaining to the subject, going back from last year to two decades in the past. I sat down at a table near the less visited section of the library and began sifting through the reports from past to present as quickly and thoroughly as I could manage.

Many of the reports had little to do with Poes, instead having to deal with minor disagreements between farmers or where Deku Babas had been sprouting up uncontrollably. Occasionally there would be mention of a stray Bulblin wondering into town, a Poe seen outside the graveyard, or other relatively small monster attacks or sightings. The Faron Woods two decades ago had been a peaceful place for the most part.

It was when I reached reports dating to twelve years ago had I found something quite interesting. I had not considered, even though I was only five years old, that I would not remember something that had devastated Ordon to such a degree.

The report detailed the sudden attack of possibly twenty or more different Poes on the village. They had come without warning, destroying everything in sight, killing anyone unfortunate enough to be in their path. Lanterns lighting the houses aflame, scythes slashing people apart, bodies rising from the graves as ReDeads; it had been complete chaos. About half of the population of Ordon had been killed, explaining why the village had been so small when I had lived there. And, as sudden as the attack had begun, it had simply stopped. The Poes just left after a few hours of senseless terrorizing.

I laid the report on the table, staring at the print with a frown. The final line had called the event _nightmarish_. The exact word Vaati had used what seemed an eternity ago, but was only two nights ago. He had been alluding to this incident, perhaps even this very document. Because the village had been decimated by a sudden onslaught of Poes, my looks would brand me suspect. And, the moment I foolishly reveled I could communicate with Poes, I had shown myself to be a possible threat. With this knowledge, I could see much of my problems with villagers had been created by my own actions. I felt almost foolish to think that they had merely singled me out without reason when I had clearly presented myself as a danger.

Another minor detail that bothered me was why the Poes would bother to attack Ordon. Unlike Bulblins or Bokoblins that raided for supplies, to establish territory, and occasionally for sport, Poes had no reason to attack on such a large scale. Poes are incorporeal creatures that wandered about alone or in small groups rarely exceeding five. They are also intelligent. Every Poe I met could communicate and used complex thought-processes to come to decisions. Other monsters simply relied on instincts, while Poes would strategize. There had to be some purpose to the attack, but finding an answer in a human-made report would not be possible. The way Link and others spoke of monsters showed little understanding of monsters' motives.

I shuffled through the pile, not paying much attention. I doubt that there was anything more for me to read. I felt that I remembered much of the recent past from ten years onward, giving me little reason to continue reading the documents before me. For some reason I had expected to find more events specifically relating to Poes. While I had learned a very interesting fact, I was still disappointed that I had not found more.

With a sigh, I stacked the books into a neat pile to return to the librarian. I sought out the helpful man and gave him the books with a short "thank you" for his help. With not much else to do, I decided to search through the library for anything related to monsters. The librarian directed me to a section, once more giving me a questioning look about my topic of interest. After he disappeared around a shelf, I lazily picked out a book and paged through it.

I heard light footsteps, but chose to ignore them, figuring it was a scholar or librarian. It took a moment for me to acknowledge I knew the person who now stood beside me.

"Hello, Eivie." Zelda smiled, adjusting her hold on a small stack of books.

"Zelda," I said with a slight nod and smile.

There was a pause as she seemed to stare at me, her eyebrows coming together. "Are you feeling ill?"

"No," I mumbled, catching myself as I went to rub my eyes. The dark circles of sleep deprivation were still plaguing me. "I have not slept well, is all."

She nodded her head once, but seemed to be considering my answer.

"How have you been?" I asked quickly, just to get off the subject of me.

"Oh, well, but also very busy. We have been having some problems with the Gerudo again, and, well, negotiations can be difficult."

"What is it they want this time?" I remember Zelda having mentioned the Gerudo a few times before. The dessert-dwellers liked to be difficult when it came to working with their Hylian rulers ever since the area was annexed nearly a century ago.

"This time they are asking that we return the Arbiter Grounds to them. I know that it used to be a temple, but moving all of those prisoners to a new location would be very difficult and, overall, impractical." She gave a heavy sigh, continuing with, "And it does not help that they sent their _king. _In truth the whole matter has become an attempt to reestablish separate nations."

"Politics are as complicated as ever, I see."

Zelda laughed once at the comment. "Some things never change." After a brief pause, she asked, "What are you reading today?"

"Would you happen to know any old books describing monsters?"

Her eyebrows came together and she tilted her head to the side. "Well, I might. There are some books that were recently found in the castle basement that may be what you are looking for. They are in a very old dialect, though. I can try to read it, but, honestly, I know very little Old Hylian."

"Can we take a look at them?" I caught my excitement and added, "I mean, if you would not mind showing me them."

"Oh, no, I can show you." She adjusted her hold on her books once more before beginning to lead me through the library. "To be honest, I would rather not go back to studying just yet. What are you hoping to find?"

"Nothing in particular. I am just… curious, I guess. After all of the recent incidents, I wish to know more about the threats monsters pose. "

Zelda's expression became grim. "I know, the monsters returning in such numbers is very worrisome. In fact, I was informed there was an attack in the city. I fear for the safety of Hyrule, especially if the monsters' numbers continue to rise."

I was quick to agree with her. I then quietly followed Zelda to the other side of the library. The shelves in this area were filled with ancient looking books, scrolls, and even a few stone tablets were on display. The old books were likely only available to scholars and, well, people of power. If I had not been in the company of Zelda, I doubt I would even be allowed into this area.

Zelda stopped abruptly, making me stumble into a stop before I crashed into her. She lightly ran her fingers over the spines of a few books, studying the titles carefully. "This one, I believe," she mumbled as she gently pulled a book from the shelf. She walked over to the nearest table and sat her pile of books to the side and laid the other in front of us.

The book was quite thick with a dark yellow cover and many intricate, sewn designs. The writing on the book was the ancient symbols of old Hylian. With time the language and writing had changed to such a degree that barely any common person could make out a single word among old texts, myself included. Zelda began turning through a few of the aged pages. I caught sight of a few drawings.

"Wait," I said, not sure why the picture we had just flipped by seemed oddly familiar. "Go back a few pages, please."

She nodded and slowly turned the pages back.

"This page," I mumbled, staring at the drawing curiously. It was a very large, single eyed bat with numerous wings and a pair of vicious claws. It looked similar to the sentries Vaati controlled. "Are you able to read anything on this page?"

"I can try." She squinted at the letters on the page, concentrating on trying to find anything she could understand. After a few minutes, she gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry, I cannot read anything of much importance."

I shook my head. "That is no problem. I only found the drawing interesting. Thank you for showing me this book." I leaned over the book, looking at the drawing as if it would explain itself. "Would it be all right if I look at it for a while longer?"

"Oh, yes, that should be fine." She grabbed her books once more. "I should probably be on my way. It was nice seeing you, Eivie." She smiled.

"Likewise and thank you once more."

She nodded and went on her way.

I sat down at the table and delicately traced over the ink drawing, closely studying the creature depicted. It had to be related to Vaati, I concluded once more. The monstrosity of a bat looked like a more stylized version of the sentries. Because I had no hope of reading it, though, I decided to give up and surrender the information to him.

I glanced around, looking to see if anyone was within hearing distance. After confirming no one was near enough to hear, I whispered, "Vaati, I found something interesting." As I expected, the little sentry eye suddenly landed on my shoulder. I had a feeling the bothersome creature was still watching me. Addressing the small bat as Vaati still felt ridiculous as well, although it was humorous in a way.

I pointed to the book and the bat followed my movement. After a moment of it narrowing its eye and examining the pages, it squeaked, almost sounding happy. It flew off of my shoulder and grabbed hold of the edge of the book, closing it to study the cover.

Then it vanished in a puff of purple smoke. I gritted my teeth. Of course he would not tell me what the book said. He did not even give me a chance to ask him anything! I stood up, the chair making a horrendous noise as it dragged across the floor. My face flushed when people looked at me, wondering why I had caused such a commotion. I quickly sat back down, remembering that I had planned to look through the entire book simply to see the drawings.

What I found was not very interesting. While I eventually come across a picture of a Poe, I quickly learned that not being able to read any of the information was quite irritating. I had finished looking through the book and had returned it to the nearest librarian to reshelf.

I decided it was time to go back to the shop and perhaps help Syrup with customers. I groaned quietly, remembering that I had no idea if she knew that I left last night. I would actually like to think up a few plans to get in contact with Vaati, especially considering the sentry seemed to leave me for good, as well as how to earn Link's trust back.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- This chapter was meant to be part of seven, so it's sort of short as well. But, hey, Eivie learned Ordon was attacked by Poes! She knows a bit more now, even if it is not the full story yet. Soon, though, it shall all become known… I also feel I should mention the "Old Hylian" is simply there because different games in the series use different alphabets and I felt like including it. Once again, thank you all so much for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! **

**Lady Fai- A guess! I love guesses, although I will never tell anyone if they are right or wrong. "Wait and see" is more my game. I hope you're enjoying the story and thank you for reviewing!**

**Awkward passerby- Yeah, Link is not very happy with Eivie, but, you know, keeping secrets can be quite upsetting. I could not let her get away with it so easily. And thank you for being understanding about the late updates. Thank you for reviewing and reading!**

**Miss Ominous- How did you know it was math-related studying? Math of any sort makes my head want to implode and a comprehensive midterm had me horrified, but I passed and don't have more tests until finals! And thank you for being understanding with updates. Also, don't worry too much about not having an account. Reviews and just reading are perfectly fine with me and much appreciated! Thank you for reading and reviewing! **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was becoming yet another restless night for me. Ever since that rotten Hue and those other two attacked a few days ago, more and more Poes seemed to be visiting the town nightly. The day after the attack, the next wave of Poes had managed to infiltrate the walls, only to be met by a group of knights. Two people were killed that night fighting off the Poes. While they had been successful in thwarting the Poes, I still felt horrible for the casualties. While I was bothered by the incident, there was something else that had been worrying me. After that night they never reentered the town. I could sense them nearby, just outside the walls, but they did not enter. For the past two nights, the Poes had come at dusk and would seemingly leave without incident well before dawn. Surely the knights had not intimidated them to the point they remained outside.

I rolled over in my bed, not comfortable enough to sleep.

At least Link was not _as_ angry now. I had spoken with him nearly every day, trying to share everything I knew so he could relay the information to the knights and guards. He had been quite upset about the two that were killed by Poes though. It was hard to judge if he had forgiven me because he was so stressed about the Poes and other monsters being too close to town.

And Vaati proved to be a very irritating person to track down. I had yet to find even one person that knew where he had been going during the day. I had tried the library, but he had apparently not been there for a while. I did not want to risk going out at night to find him, although it seemed I would have to. If he had left the sentry with me I would not have this problem. Well, actually, I probably would, but at least I could complain to him instead of to myself.

I flipped onto my back and stared at the ceiling.

I could faintly sense several Poes outside. They had been coming in groups of five or more. A few had been like the Imp Poes from the other night, some similar to the sisters, as well as another few unknown forms. In variety and in numbers; someone seemed desperate to kill me and I still had no idea why.

I closed my eyes, trying to sleep instead of creating yet more unanswerable questions for myself. For much of the night, however, I followed the movements of the Poes. They never made it past the wall.

* * *

><p>It was early morning, the sky still colored with the rising of the sun and a layer of dew shimmering on nearly every plant. I sat down on the edge of the fountain in front of the castle. As I waited, I listened to the soothing sound of the fountain. I could have fallen asleep if left alone.<p>

"Hey," Link greeted as he sat next to me. His eyes also had a dark bags under them from a clear lack of sleep. Because of the monsters, the knights and guards had been busy. Link, younger knights, and even volunteers had taken to keeping the town safe. Link had been on the night watch last night, it would seem.

He yawned. "Last night, we found a band of Bulblins near Lake Hylia. That's third group we've had to kill this week. There is definitely something going on because this is just ridiculous how many monsters have moved in on Castle Town." He rubbed his eyes and yawned once more. "We only got back a few hours ago and I have another shift this afternoon." He finished his side of the information exchange and began with his questions. "I haven't heard anything about Poes in the last few days. Have they stopped?"

"No, I have sensed them outside the city every night." I raised my eyebrow. "Other people have not reported seeing them?"

"No one patrolling the walls have mentioned seeing Poes. Bokoblins and Bulblins, yes, but not one person saw Poes. Are you sure they are there?"

"I am certain they are there," I shot back, almost defensively. I mumbled sorry before adding, "I have not been able to sleep because of their presence. They… bother me. I cannot stand their pointless visits. They have no reason to stay outside of the city when they can very easily enter and…" I paused my rant, ending quietly with, "and kill me. The constant threat of attack has me more on edge then if they would just come after me."

"I know what you mean. I would rather hunt them down _before_ they got a chance to attack." There was a brief silence before Link continued. "I was able to talk with Zelda yesterday. She seemed really stressed out with all that is happening. She mentioned that she could feel evil presences in the city, like powerful, boss monsters' type of evil. And… she is very concerned for her father…"

"The rumors are true then. The king has fallen ill?"

"Yeah, he's been sick for a week or so. Some of the knights think the Gerudo's poisoned him or cursed him." He whispered, "I agree with them."

I simply nodded and looked down at the ground, not having much else to say on the topic of the king. Zelda had certainly hidden her worry well when I had met her in the library a few days ago. Had I known… Had I known I would have made a fool out of myself trying to comfort her. It may have been better that she had kept the truth from me.

"Had she described the evil she sensed?" I decided I may be more helpful in this area than that of family issues.

"No, not really. Just that they were powerful and not the common monsters we had been dealing with."

We fell silent again. People had just begun filing into the streets, on their way to work or the market. Soon it would be time to leave to go about our own business. Link would go prepare for his next watch. I would return to the shop to help Syrup, especially since the number of customers had increased. People had been stocking up on medicines before the monsters inevitably made a move to conquer Castle Town.

"Are they still holding that festival?" I asked, suddenly curious. With all of the recent events, I thought that perhaps they would cancel the annual festival supposedly honoring the defeat of a great monster ages ago. The reason for the festival had been lost but it was still an excuse for a celebration and thusly kept around.

Link nodded. "They will be setting up either later today or tomorrow. I asked my father why they did not cancel it, but he said people deserved a short, one-day break from the madness the monsters are causing. Most of the guards and knights, as well as a few volunteers, will still be working though. I only have a few hours off that afternoon. I think Zelda said she could come for a while if it's not too late or she's not too busy. Would you like to come too?"

"Umm, yes." I smiled slightly. "I would enjoy that."

Link smiled back before he stood up. He offered to help me up and I accepted. "I need to go rest before my next patrol. Talk to you later?"

I nodded.

He waved once before walking away. Soon enough he was out of sight. I took a moment to stretch and yawn. Then I slowly walked back to the shop, prepared for the long day of talking with customers and brewing potions.

I could no longer stand it. I had to know why the Poes kept outside the walls. Although it was nearly the middle of the night and very dark considering the cloud cover, I decided to crawl out my window and leave to find my own answers. I knew the perfect place to begin looking. It was only tonight that I had realized the Poes had been congregating at the very tower Vaati and I liked to meet.

I turned a corner, noticing a guard only feet away, thankfully looking the other direction. I quickly backed away, taking another street. For once I tried to walk down the darkest of alleys to avoid detection. Because I had not been out since the Poe incident, I had no clue where the increased number of guards were posted. While before I would have been questioned if caught, now I would likely be detained for disobeying the recent curfew laws. Risking the alleys seemed a better option than ending up in the dungeons.

Soon enough I arrived to the watch tower. Without looking, I reached for the ladder, knowing where it was by memory. My hand grasped at empty air. I stared at the brick wall before me, the ladder non-existent. It was gone. The ladder was gone. I ground my teeth together, about ready to kick the wall in frustration.

As I turned to leave, a flicker of sorts caught my attention, forcing me to look back at the tower. The ladder was now there, as if it had never been gone in the first place. I hesitantly reached out again and grasped the first rung. Baffled as to the sudden appearance, I was slow to place all of my weight onto the ladder. Once I felt it was real enough and not an illusion, I began climbing up.

When I arrived to the top and had my feet firmly planted on the tower, I noticed the cause of the vanishing ladder. Vaati sat on the edge of the tower overlooking the fields. He had a book in one hand while he used the other to lazily cast spells, seemingly at the ground. I wandered to his side.

"Eivie," he greeted passively.

I said nothing, instead looking below the tower in a mild shock. There were two ReDeads clawing at the tower, trying to climb up. Several Poes hovered nearby. Two Imp Poes stared on as the other, more common, purple Poes tried to fling fire at the tower. The magic would fizzle out before making it far. And, scattered between the ReDead and Poes, there were stone statues. Each statue was of a ReDead caught in mid-attack, their mouths hanging open as the prepared to shriek.

Suddenly Vaati switched from wind magic to a crackling spell. One of the ReDeads howled in pain as it slowly turned into a stone statue.

"What are you doing?" I whispered. He was not even looking at the monsters as he killed them. He did not fear them, or even seem to be interested in killing them. He looked bored with it.

"They have been quite persistent, the foolish creatures. However, they have made for good target practice." He set the book to the side, allowing me to see it was the very book I had found in the library the other day. He chuckled when he sent a large tornado at the monsters. The remaining ReDead screeched as it was torn apart by the vicious winds. The Poes tried to escape, only finding their lanterns destroyed by the several sentries Vaati had summoned.

When the monsters were dead, he turned around and stood up. I stumbled back a step. He was different. Something about him had changed. The dangerous glint in his red eyes, the way he brutally and callously killed the monsters, and the way he seemed to enjoy the pain he had caused them, all of these things caused me to take a few steps away from of him.

"Are you afraid of me, Eivie?" he teased, taking a step forward. When I twitched to move away again, he laughed a few times. "No need to fear me this moment, I do not plan on harming you. On the contrary, I would like to give you my gratitude. That book you found has proven to be most enlightening."

"What… what is it about?"

His answer was a crooked smile and silence.

"Why are you protecting the town?" I tried, hoping to at least get some information from him.

"Protecting these weak humans?" he scoffed. "While right now you are quite useless, soon enough you may prove to be a valuable ally. Letting them kill you prematurely would be a waste." He held up his hand when I prepared to blurt out another question. "My dear, naïve, Eivie, soon I will be leaving you to deal with your own problems. Once you learn about your connection to the Poes, I will allow you to make your decision. Just remember one thing: monsters and humans will never be accepting of each other."

"What are you talking about, Vaati? Please, just tell me plainly what you know!" I took a step towards him in a failed attempt to be demanding. "What do you know about me?" I shouted.

He smirked, his eyes showing how amused he was with my anger and pleas. "If you cannot figure it out yourself, then you are better off with the foolish humans. But, should you realize your potential, you could become something truly horrifying, a creature worthy of serving under me."

"If you refuse to tell me about myself, then answer this: What was in that book? Why are you suddenly so… so…" I could not find a proper word to describe his new behavior.

"Evil?" he finished, rolling his eyes. "The most powerful of monsters are very difficult to kill. A god is impossible to defeat."

"Are you calling yourself a god?"

"No, not yet. Soon, though, I shall become an unstoppable god. I shall destroy them once and for all," he growled. "I will not be defeated again!" The wind roared around him in his rage for a second before he collected himself. "Know that if you stand in my way, you too will be destroyed, but, should you side with me, you will have the world bowing before you." He smiled deviously again and then turned away from me.

"Vaati?" I reached out to grab his wrist. I was too late and he had already disappeared from sight using that blasted teleportation spell. "What are you planning?" I mumbled quietly even though I knew he was gone.

I let myself fall to the ground and sit down, pulling one knee up to rest my chin on. I ran a hand through my hair, just trying to organize my thoughts. Vaati was gone and with him all of the answers to my numerous questions. Whatever he had read in that book had sparked something in him. His arrogance and anger took on a new meaning to the point I was terrified to see what he decided to do next. He had been able to kill those Poes with minimal effort; if he actually wanted to cause harm… he could destroy anything in his way.

And if he had been the one keeping the Poes out of the city, they would be attacking now that he had left. I could not protect myself if they showed up in such numbers. I would have difficulty defeating one Poe, never mind several aided by ReDeads. I would need help, that much is certain, but dragging Link into this was wrong. I had created the problem and he should not have to risk his life for my own incompetence. Although, if I failed to kill the Poes, the monsters may attack the town for the fun of it. Either way, Castle Town and everyone in it were in danger.

The next days could very well determine the fate of Castle Town.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, because I certainly liked typing it! There was finally some action this chapter, not just dialogue and information. I am really excited to type the next couple of chapters. Thank you to all who have faved, followed, read, and reviewed. You all make me so happy and I hope you'll be stickin' around. **

**Miss Ominous- Zelda is more of a side character, I guess. I mean, she does have her role in the story and is not just there. I am not really sure how to write Zelda's character, so I guess I am avoiding making her a main character… And the reason I have an update schedule is my procrastination problem. If I did not give myself a "due date" I would be horrible about updating even monthly. I'm happy you're still here reading and reviewing. Thank you! **

**Awkward passerby- Well, she did give the villagers a good reason when she had Beth scare those children. I will probably be giving more explanation to the Ordon Poe attack to better show why Ordon is so suspicious of her. Thanks for reviewing again! **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

They had not returned the next night. While I should have felt relieved over the Poes' absence, I knew it was only a matter of time. Perhaps they had been thinking of a new strategy, especially now that Vaati claimed to be leaving.

I had not seen him since, but that honestly meant nothing. He could still be around, avoiding me, or I simply could be missing him. I could not find him before, so why should it be any different now?

My frustration caused me to scrub more furiously. I had the misfortune of being splashed with a purple potion this morning. Now, seeing as how I still planned on going to the festival today, I had to remove the stain. I would not embarrass Link and Zelda by having a gigantic stain on my already plain clothes. My fingers began to feel numb from how tight I grasped the scrub brush.

With a sigh, I dropped the brush back into the dish of water. I could not tell if the stain was completely gone with the fabric being wet, but, with how long I cleaned the blasted thing, it should be gone. Having one nicer dress was a real pain, but clothes were horridly expensive. Only nobles could afford having several outfits.

I walked back to the front of the shop. While it was not open, Syrup had me organizing potions, taking stock of what we had, what would be spoiled soon, and other _fun _inventory questions. I would be busy until the afternoon at this rate.

* * *

><p>Link knocked on the door a few hours later. When I answered, I was happy to see a smile on his face. All of the extra patrols had been souring his mood lately, so this was a welcome sight. He wore his green tunic with chain mail underneath, his sword and shield with him as well. He had just come from working.<p>

"Ready to go?"

I nodded cheerfully, walking past him and outside as he held the door open for me. "Will Zelda be joining us?"

"Yeah, I talked to her yesterday. She said she could come for a while if some other knights were there to escort her. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all. She is a princess, after all. She cannot be wandering the streets without protection."

"She doesn't agree with that," he chuckled. "She had complained about the other knights accompanying her; she said 'Link and I can handle anything that dares attack us. We are not helpless children.'"

"She is probably right, though." I smiled and giggled once. "She can be scary when she is mad or determined." Link had provided me with some entertaining tales of Zelda yelling at Vaati a few different times. Apparently even Vaati knew to back down when Zelda decided she had had enough of his tricks. Although he never learned to _stop_ with his pranks; his pride would not allow for defeat.

Link nodded and fell silent for a while as we made our way to the castle. The streets were more lively than usual. Colorful banners were strung along the buildings. People formed large groups, chattering away about numerous topics. Music filled the air; the cheerful singing and instruments further lightening the mood of the city. The troublesome last few days seemed like a distant memory.

"Looks like it might rain later," Link mumbled as he looked at the sky. He sounded disappointed.

"And it might not," I added, trying to be positive for once. If only for a few hours, I wanted to be happy and stress-free, like everyone else seemed to be today.

Link laughed. "Yeah, you're right. You're sure cheerful today."

I nodded, smiling. "I guess I am."

When we made it the castle gates. Zelda was already waiting; she stood up from her seat on the side of the fountain to greet us. Two armored knights followed behind her, staying a few feet back to allow some sort of privacy.

"Hey Zelda," Link greeted.

"Hello Link, Eivie," Zelda grinned. "Where should we go first? I have heard that there are some lovely crafts for sale. Oh, a maid mentioned this one stand has absolutely fantastic food."

"I think food is a good idea." Link quickly added, "I haven't eaten since this morning!"

"Let us go find something to eat then," I agreed.

After we had eaten countless treats, we wandered the market square. A few people had their shops open for the festival and were selling various crafts like handmade jewelry, clothes, carved decorations, and many other things. Link had been distracted by a stand of wooden carvings, mentioning that his father's birthday was coming up and one of the decorations may be a good gift. Zelda and I looked over a table of jewelry made of polished stones and inexpensive fabric strings. They had a certain charm to them, I guess. I turned over a necklace with a pale green stone, sort of wanting it for a silly reason.

"Hey," Link said as he rejoined Zelda and me.

"Did you find a gift?" Zelda asked.

"No, I think I'll get him something else. He needs a new sword sheath, so I think I'll try to find one of those. You find anything?"

Zelda shook her head.

I placed the necklace back onto the table. I could not afford anyways. "No. Not really."

"I think I need a break walking," Link said. "Want to go find somewhere to sit down?"

Zelda and I agreed, so we all went to find a nice spot to take a break. It was now evening, the sun slowly moving towards the horizon. We sat down on a bench near the center of the town, listening to the bards' music.

"How is your father, Zelda," Link asked quietly. "Is he any better?"

"He is… a little better. The doctors are still unsure what ails him." She paused, seeming apprehensive for a moment. "I would hate to place blame, but… it is very likely the Gerudo tried to poison him. If it was not them… then it would be one of us, and that is a scary thought."

"It is. If we can't even trust the people around us…" Link trailed off. After a moment he added, "I hope your father recovers."

"I do as well," I quietly said.

"Thank you for your concern," she smiled weakly.

We were silent for a while, listening to the music. The sky had gathered more clouds. With any more it would get dark outside even quicker than usual.

"Eivie," Zelda suddenly began, "you were… friends with Wendal, right?"

I did not answer right away. She must have heard that from Link. "Acquaintances, more so."

"Do you know where he went? His father has mentioned that he disappeared a few days ago."

"A few of the knights had mentioned that," Link added.

"I do not know." I looked at the ground, frowning. "He had not told me where he would be going, but had mentioned leaving."

"Oh," was their response. The subject faded away after that, seeing as how there were no answers to be found.

"Have there been many monster incidents lately?" I asked Link.

"More of the same: Bulblins, Bokoblins, everything, really. Yesterday there were a flock of Kargarok that flew over the southern fields. Thankfully there were no more attacks on people…that were reported anyways. Have there been any Poes around?"

"No." With that response, Link gave a worried, confused look. "They will likely be back, though."

Link nodded his head. "We'll be ready for them."

My lips twitched into a smile for a second. I mumbled a thank you.

After that we talked about other things, trying to forget the troubles around us for the rest of the evening. When the sun began to set behind the building wall of clouds, we decided it was time to return home. Link had to get ready for his next shift and Zelda had her curfew to worry about. We milled about for a bit, avoiding parting for a moment. We decided to go to the potion shop first, seeing as how Link and Zelda were going to the same place.

The street was near empty, which was nice considering how congested the market had been. The two knights that accompanied Zelda had stayed a few paces back; I only noticed them now because their clinking armor. I had been caught up in my own thoughts that it took a moment for me to realize what was nearby.

A wave of uneasiness hit me, stopping me in my tracks. Link and Zelda abruptly stopped as well. Before us were an army of ReDead, slowly stumbling forward, moaning. A few other people were nearby; some screamed in surprise while others ran.

Link and the other knights wordlessly sprang into action. Link and one knight took a position in front of me and Zelda, while the other went to find warn the town about the threat.

And, if the army of ReDead were not horrifying enough, I could sense something else in front of us, only a few feet away. My attention was solely focused on what I could sense, nearly blocking out everything else.

A dark figure shrouded in a cloak of shrieking bats rose from the shadows. Its eyes glowed an eerie, vibrant green. It held an imposing scythe decorated with a Stalfos skull. This Poe had its own identity, it was a powerful creature that had made a name for itself.

The ReDead lethargically closed the distance between us. I heard a few knights yell about finding reinforcements. Link told Zelda to stay close to him until they could find her a way to escape. She protested, saying she could protect herself and that he needed to focus on defending the other citizens nearby.

"To think I would be here to kill something so pathetic looking," the ghostly creature complained. It had a deep, reverberating voice, making it sound like a male. "A mortal melded with a Poe has my Lord feeling threatened? Hue, are you absolutely certain you have not made a mistake?"

Hue faded into existence above the other ghost. "No, Gomess, this is the one," Hue answered irritably.

"What…" I began meekly, barely catching the one called Gomess' attention. "What do you know about me? Who is this Lord of yours?" I managed a near-shout, surprisingly. My hands were shaking with how scared I was.

"Lord Jahalla, the master of Poes. Forgotten even that, have you?" It glanced back to Hue, ignoring me as if I were not there. "Hue, she is not very impressive. Calling her a threat is calling you powerful. If anything, she is making a mockery of its past glory."

"Just get rid of her, Gomess.," Hue sighed. Obviously Gomess was not interested in taking orders from the weaker Poe.

"Tell me everything you know, creature. What am I and why are you here?"

"Even your mind has fallen to madness; not a _single_ memory from then. You are but a pathetic human like this. Not worthy of a death by my blade." Gomess rested its scythe on its shoulder, the bats changing to quiet squeaks rather than irritated screeches. "I honestly don't want to waste time with you. Hue, how have you not eliminated her yourself? Too scared, perhaps?"

"She is stronger than she appears," Hue grumbled and added defensively. "Also that sorcerer had been watching her. Is not angering him a good enough excuse, Gomess?"

Gomess chuckled at this. The low sound was absolutely disturbing. "Yes, the sorcerer _had_ been preventing any real attempts to enter the city. How lucky it is he abandoned the girl." Gomess laughed once more before continuing. At this point it was obvious he had lost interest in me and would rather ramble about things to Hue. "The irony that the betrayer is abandoned by its allies and then killed by former comrades! Oh, Hue, while you failed at finding an interesting opponent, you have woven an interesting tale. Jahalla will be very impressed as he kills you for your idiocy."

"You infernal creature," I growled suddenly, no longer tolerating its teasing. "If you came here to fight and kill me, then do so. I grow bored of your tasteless commentary with that half-witted Poe." The words seemed to flow out of my mouth, my brain not making any real input.

Gomess cut off whatever its next words to Hue would have been. Instead Gomess returned his attention to me with a cold stare. After a moment of wordless glaring, its mouth formed a demonic smile. "Perhaps you are not as far gone as first thought. What is it you call yourself by? I want to know the name of the one I will dismember and feed my bats as a reward."

I stood with my hands clasped behind my back; the pose returning after a few years absence. How natural it felt as I stood defiantly against the creature questioning my ability. "Eivie. And your bats will not have the pleasure of feasting upon me." I took a moment to look over my shoulder, remembering I had not been alone. Link and Zelda continued to fight off ReDead; Link slashed them apart and Zelda cast light magic that burned the monsters. They did take time to glance at me, their expression clearly stating how strange my change in demeanor was.

"Such defiance in the face of your inevitable doom," Gomess stated over the growing din of noise the excited bats were creating. "Eivie, you shall die here." The phantom raised its scythe, showing it was now convinced I was worthy enough to kill.

Before it got a chance to attack, I managed to take a look around the chaotic streets in hopes of finding a weapon. Without a weapon, I would be left using solely a jinx spell to defeat a powerful creature. There was also no way I could wrestle the scythe away from Gomess like I had down with the Bokoblin and Imp Poe.

The light from Hue's lantern reflected off the armor of a nearby corpse. I took a chance and ran straight for the body, hoping to find something useful. I could hear Gomess laughing at my urgency; he had yet to make a move and seemed to be waiting. I grabbed the sword, trying my best to avoid looking at the dead knight. Guilt for his death could wait for another time.

The sword felt light in my hands when I compared it to the pilfered machete and scythe I had used previously. I gave a practice swing as I walked closer to Gomess. The blade could cut through anything given enough time and power, I decided. Gomess cackled as he rose a few feet into the air, enough to hover above the ground but still within my reach. Hue moved away, being the coward he was, not wanting to be a part of the fray.

Gomess suddenly held his arms in the air, the horde of bats swarming around him, screeching shrilly. A group of the black bats broke away from Gomess, quickly flying towards me with sharp claws and teeth ready to tear into my skin. Because of how unexpected the attack was, I had no time to prepare a counter attack, leaving me to pathetically attempt to duck away from the angry swam.

My ears were ringing with the high-pitched calls surrounding me. I covered my face instinctively, my arms then taking the brunt of the damage. The bats' claws cut into my skin, leaving small but painful lacerations. A few latched onto me and bit down so hard to the point I could not even shake them off. The few seconds the bats surrounded me felt like an eternity.

I concentrated and managed to cover my body in a jinx spell. As I moved my arms down, I caught sight of several bats fleeing back to Gomess and, the less fortunate ones, flopping on the ground as they burned to death. I quickly assessed my wounds, noting how droplets of blood ran down my arms and how stains were forming near the tears in my clothing. With a few more rounds of bats, it would become a problem, but, right now, as adrenaline fueled my body, pain was considerably dulled. I could manage this, I told myself.

"Already finished?" Gomess taunted. More bats seemed to surround him, replacing any I had managed to kill.

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch to form a smile.

_Do not underestimate me, fool. _

Gomess sent another bunch of bats towards me. Instead of waiting for them to reach me, I cast a jinx spell, the blue flames engulfing the bats. I had no time to marvel at how much stronger the spell suddenly was. Gomess swung his scythe, dispelling the flames, and flew at me.

An arrow cloaked in a blinding light glanced across Gomess, sending it into a small retreat to judge where the attack had come from. I risked looking over my shoulder, seeing Zelda readying another arrow to shoot a nearby ReDead. She had taken a moment to protect me using her light magic.

While Gomess seemed to be in shock, I sent another plume of fire at it. The flames struck the left side of his body, instantly killing the bats in the immediate area. Gomess growled in anger rather than pain, seeming like the jinx had little effect. Gomess summoned more bats easily, negating any progress I had made. He prepared to attack once more, sending bats to distract from his attack.

_Persistent, but predictable._

Without Zelda's help, Gomess was able to fly right in front of me even after I had killed the swarm. He swung his scythe down with such speed I only saw a blur of movement. On instinct, I had snapped my eyes closed, waiting for death.

A gleeful, deranged laugh rang out… from me. It just happened when I saw how perplexed and dumbfounded Gomess looked with his mouth hanging open and eyes squinted. Instead of being confused to how I was alive, I cackled away. It took a moment for me to become conscious that the scythe's blade was imbedded in the ground beneath my feet. I held up my hand, completely baffled to how I survived a blow through my head and body. I could see through my hand; I had become incorporeal like a Poe. But, despite how marvelous this ability was, I noticed something else more alarming. My nails had grown longer, appearing sharpened and the purple had darkened. The skin of my hands seemed even paler than normal; a disturbingly white-gray color, actually.

Gomess growled as he raised his scythe from the ground. "I will not be made a fool!" He let out a loud screech, rivalling the horrific noises made by the ReDead.

He called forth a cloud of bats so dense, seeing became impossible. Only the chaotic fluttering of wings and flashes of fangs and claws were visible. For a moment, I had been able to remain a ghost and avoid the bats' fury, but I had grown tired alarmingly fast, forcing me to become part of the physical world once more. I blindly swung the sword as I cast jinxes, hoping to kill enough of them to see were Gomess planned to attack.

_From above. _

I glanced up and aimed the largest flame I could manage into the sky. The blue fire burned the bats, causing them to rain down on me. I caught a glimpse of the spell surrounding a large object, presumably Gomess. Flakey, burnt scraps of fabric fell from above.

Gomess retreated a few feet away, this time affected by the attack. He had been apparently wearing a cloak before, which now disintegrated to ashes. A faintly glowing green orb was now visible in the center of his chest. It had to be a weak point, like a lantern to the average Poe.

I took the initiative to attack first this time, especially because Gomess seemed preoccupied with his destroyed cloak. He noticed my approach, summoning bats once more, but not in as great of numbers.

_He is weakening. How disappointing. _

I surrounded myself with a jinx spell to keep the bats off of me as I continued forward. He swung his scythe, twirling around in a circle forming a deadly spinning attack. I was forced to retreat until he halted his spinning. Gomess suddenly flew forward at a far greater speed than I thought him capable of. Not knowing how to turn into a ghostly state on-command, I clumsily tried to dodge by jumping to the side. My arm did not get out of the way of the blade, causing me to scream as a nasty cut was made across my upper arm.

Gomess sounded gleeful at the injury, taking a moment to cackle. He did not move away from me, remaining only a few feet away. Despite how painful it was, I forced my injured arm to move and help hold the hilt of the sword.

Gomess caught my movement too late. I had lunged forward, the sword raised above my head as high as I could manage. The blade struck the orb, causing it to crack and begin to shatter. Gomess shrieked as he moved away. He did not make it far, falling to the ground only a few feet away, now too weak to hover in the air. His scythe clattered as he dropped it on the ground, trying to use both hands to hold the precious orb together.

_Pathetic creature._

I made my way toward him, dragging the tip of the sword across the ground. His glowing eyes met mine, showing anger, fear, and, perhaps, respect.

"You underestimated me. I may be weaker attached to this human, but I still am superior. Even Jahalla knows this, which is why he hopes you pathetic creatures could eliminate me before he is forced to face me once more," I spoke, feeling as though I was not the one speaking, but under the control of another. Though, at the same time, I knew it was me, a part of me that I had little control over. "Gomess, you have earned my respect."

I slashed the sword, sending him falling onto his back. I stepped onto the splintering orb, beginning to slowly crush it beneath me.

"Jahalla is… is right to fear you," Gomess stammered, hissing in pain, but not struggling to free himself. "But he has beat you before…" He laughed quietly before coughing. "Such a shame I will not see the struggle once more." The orb made a sickening crack. Gomess smirked despite already fading away. "Perhaps we will meet once more in death."

"You will make a good servant, Gomess." I said, even though the creature had faded into nothingness.

My thoughts returned to me and the first thing I did was glance at the wound on my arm. The wound was deep, but blood had stopped flowing out and had become but a slow ooze. I would need to treat it soon and hope for the best. I had confidence in the healing potions of Syrup's, though, and I figured a scar would be all that I was left with.

I glanced at my hands, still seeing how disgusting my nails looked. They were still pointed and claw-like. My skin still had an unnatural grayness to it; not the result of blood loss either. I honestly did not know what to do concerning those changes, instead hopping that they might wear off or something.

I caught a reflection on the sword, quickly jerking my attention to it. Hesitantly, I held up the sword, using the blade as a mirror. I bit my lip, noticing the faint, yellow glowing eyes reflected back at me. Even my eyes had become more Poe-like. It was that change that threw me over the edge. There was no possible way this was related something normal ailment. My appearance now was beyond simply strange for a human; it was bordering completely inhuman. I stared at my own reflection in horror.

"Eivie!" I heard Link shout. "Are you all right?"

I dropped the sword to the ground and refused to turn around to confirm I had heard him. I held my hand in front of my, fixated on the nails and skin. I could not let him see me like this. The jinx spell, the Poes, nothing compared to how much of a monster I seemed now.

"Eivie?" He called again.

It was then I remembered what Vaati had said.

_"Monsters and humans will never be accepting of each other."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I'm back! I've been so busy, so **_**very **_**busy. (It's been seriously ridiculous -_-) I'll probably be updating every two weeks for a while. I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Gomess is from Majora's Mask, and Jahalla is from Wind Waker, just in case any of you haven't played those/remember those random enemies. They are both like Poes, so I thought it would be neat to include them and expand on them a bit. There will be more Jahalla to come since he's been revealed to be the leader of the Poes. And Eivie… well, she is finally so dang close to knowing the whole truth. Feel free to guess at what Eivie is (even though the clues have been **_**very **_**small details)! I would like to know what you all think before I let you in on the "secret." And if anyone could tell me how the fight scene was, I would be grateful. I don't really know how I'm doing with those… Just because I can, I think I'll go put the "theme" music I write to on my profile. Go check it out if you like listening to music as you read. Thank you all for reviewing, reading, favoriting, and following! You are all fantastic people! I hope you are all enjoying the story!**

**Awkward passerby- And that is why I like reviews! You can tell me what you see and how you feel about the story. I agree that the children deserved a good scare, but I also don't want to say Eivie could get away with no consequences. I want to try to make it realistic, I guess? I'm glad you seem to be on Eivie's side, because then she must not be a horrible character. Thank you for reviewing! **

**Miss Ominous- Really? My chapters are a good length? Iis extremely happy). I had no idea how I was doing with that, but thought I was doing all right. Thank you for saying they're a good length! I sort of feel evil leaving cliffhangers, but, you know, that's what keeps people reading and me writing. Suspense is a motivating thing for me. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest- A new guest! I'm not sure if you made it this chapter yet, or not, because you reviewed chapter one, but, first, thank you for reviewing. I like hearing people's thoughts. I see you're not a fan of those children as well. I had no idea they could have such an impact, but I agree. Just because people are different does not justify being a jerk. Hope you're enjoying the story! **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Eivie?" he called again.

It was then I remembered what Vaati had said.

_"Monsters and humans will never be accepting of each other."_

"Everything will be fine," I told myself, though I could not believe my own words. "It will be okay…" I dropped my hands to my sides, disgusted with the monstrous nails and graying skin.

"Eivie, are you all right?"

I heard footsteps drawing nearer, causing me to fidget nervously. How could I avoid him seeing me? If I ran away, he would likely follow out of concern. He put his hand on my shoulder, gently attempting to turn me to face him. I shrugged him off by taking a few steps forward.

"Are you hurt?" He tried to step in front of me, only to have me turn my face so my hair hide my eyes. "Is something wrong? Eivie, talk to me, please."

"I am… I am fine," I muttered, fearing my voice had given away my distress. I took a few steps away, hoping to escape the situation.

Link caught my arm, unfortunately brushing the wound from Gomess' scythe. When I yelped, he quickly released his hold and apologized. "Where are you going? You're hurt! You need to have those cuts looked at!"

"No!" I shouted, before gulping. "I will be fine," I whispered. "I need to go speak with the Poe Sisters. I need to leave the city."

"You can't! What if you're attacked again?" He shouted. "You're hurt. They could kill you," he lowered his voice. "You don't have to leave. We can help you. Please stay," he nearly begged.

I bit my lip in a poor attempt to control my emotions. I turned away from him so my back was to him and my face was completely hidden. "I need to go or they will continue to attack Castle Town. The Sisters may be able to help me. I will be fine."

"Eivie, you are completely covered in scrapes and blood, and you look ill." He took a step forward. "Just please, let us help you."

"Yes, Eivie, you are in no condition to travel anywhere," Zelda added.

There was silence as they waited for me to respond. For a time, I stared at the ground, trying to avoid having tears slip from my eyes. They were so concerned, but, the moment they saw me, they would cringe. I knew they would. There was no way they would brush away my appearance, especially after all they had seen and heard when I fought Gomess.

For some reason I chose to giggle through my sobs when I decided what to do. I wiped my hand across my face in attempt to remove my tears. When I knew my efforts were in vain, I turned around. At first, I avoided their attempts to look at my face, still unsure if I wanted to show them.

But I did. I tilted my face and brushed my hair out of my face. They froze up, eyebrows coming together in obvious confusion. While they were focused on my glowing eyes and at a loss of words, I attempted to become a ghost. After a few seconds, I had managed to slip into the incorporeal state and quickly moved past them.

I took physical form after only a few steps, growing more exhausted the longer I stayed in the ghostly state. Despite my tiredness, I began running. I needed to get away from them before they chose to stop me.

"Eivie!" Zelda shouted.

I heard Link sprinting after me, calling for me to stop. He was quickly catching up with me. If I wanted to get away, I would have to do something. I swallowed hard when I had an idea. His footsteps were loud and he was almost close enough to tackle me. I had to act or let him catch me.

Without looking back, I cast a jinx spell at the ground. I heard Link yell in surprise, followed by the sound of him falling, his shield and sword clinking against the cobblestones.

"I am so sorry," I whispered as I continued to run.

Once I had gotten away from Link, I made my way to the south gate. I arrived and was met by a guard manning the gate.

"Open it," I ordered from a distance. "I have business to attend to."

"It is past the curfew and we have explicit orders for the gate to remain closed," he answered. "Return home, young lady, before I have to report you."

I sighed, holding back a whine. "Open it," I repeated forcibly. I closed the distance between us and stood straight with my hands clasped behind my back. I tilted my head to the side, waiting for the wide-eyed guard to respond. "If you do not wish to be killed, I suggest you do as you are told." Just for effect, I cast a jinx spell to surround me in flames briefly.

The guard stuttered as he backed away. He reached for his sword, clumsily taking it from its hilt. His arms shook as he pointed the sword at me. "G-get away, monster."

"Monster," I mouthed. Suddenly I fell into a fit of hysterical laughter. "They knew all along. The villagers had known _exactly_ what I was. How stupid I had been not to believe them!" I shouted, throwing my hands in the air in defeat. _I am a monster. I have been all along. I am not human at all. I cannot stay here; they do not want me here. _A stray tear ran down my face before I returned my attention to the guard. "I will ask one more time: open the gate. Refuse and you will be nothing but a corpse." It took everything I had to keep my voice from cracking, to maintain a strong exterior while I broke on the inside. To appear simply insane rather than absolutely pathetic.

He took my threat and scrambled to the gate, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste. It took a few moments before he had the gate open. I walked past him calmly, my back straight and hands still clasped together. Once I stepped outside the gate, it quickly closed behind me, the guard eager to keep me out of town.

I glanced over my shoulder, taking a last look at the town before I made my way to the forest. After a moment, I collected myself to begin the tiring trek to Faron. It would likely be noon when I arrived to the woods, judging by how the sun had set not too horribly long ago. I somewhat regretted not taking a sword or some other weapon with me; using so much magic had made me tired. I doubted my ability to rely on it for protection, especially if met by another powerful monster like Gomess.

I started walking, trying to focus on my surroundings rather than my own thoughts and emotions. It was the only way I could manage not having a complete meltdown.

* * *

><p>I rolled over, the sun warm against my skin.<p>

My eyes shot open, my body jerking into a sitting position. I had fallen asleep in the middle of the field, which I had no recollection of doing. Had I simply become so tired I fell asleep while walking?

A movement caught my attention. Nearby a large human-like creature wearing dark, heavy armor stood. It had a sword and shield at its side. It wore a helmet that hid its face, but it appeared to be surveying the area judging by how its head moved from side to side. It was a Darknut, one of the most feared classes of monsters Hyrule had. I slowly got to my feet and tried to move away undetected, but it noticed me. It gave a low grunt and the armor clattered as it turned its attention to me. For a few moments I waited for it to charge at me, but it did not move, only looked at me curiously. I slowly backed away, amazed that the creature never choose to attack. It did not intend to harm me, I decided. I turned my back to it, walking at a decent pace, but being sure to listen extra carefully if the monster changed its mind.

Once I was a good distance away, I paused to glance up at the sky. It was afternoon now; I had been sleeping for quite a while. In the distance I could see the beginnings if the forest. If I sped up a bit, I could easily reach the woods by dusk.

Next I glanced down at my arms, taking stock on how bad my injuries were. What surprised me was that the small cuts had already begun to close and the large gash had greatly improved. I was happy to see that my skin had also returned to simply pale rather than gray. Upon seeing that, I glanced at my nails, seeing that they had returned to a normal length. I could only hope my eyes had returned to normal as well.

Last night must have somehow triggered the change. Had it been because I feared for my life? That was how I had discovered the jinx spell, so perhaps the other abilities appeared because of the threat of death. I shook my head, hoping the Poe Sisters could tell me more rather than me thinking in circles for hours on end.

Despite the soreness in my legs, I forced myself to jog, hoping to reach Faron quickly.

* * *

><p>The sun had just begun to set when I arrived to the tree line of the grand Faron Woods. Without much thought, I wandered in, not wanting to waste time looking for a path. I had been through the woods enough to find my way to the village eventually.<p>

I scoffed at that. I was deliberately looking for the village. How enthused they will be at my return. From the village, I would first check the graveyard and then head to the temple in my search for the Poe Sisters. They would not have to see me and I would not have to deal with them if I stayed out of sight.

After walking through the woods for some time, I could see the swaying shadows and light cast by torches ahead. I would have considered it a group of hunters if I had not noticed that the light happened to be green, blue, yellow, and purple in color. They had been as considerate as to meet me it seems.

I stepped out into a small clearing in the trees, the Sisters all turning my way. We stared at each other for a moment, giving a silent greeting of sorts. Meg drifted toward me slowly, the other three falling behind her in a neat line.

"What am I?" I asked her, almost in an accusatory way.

"How much need I explain to you? Give me more specific questions."

"Who is Jahalla and why does he seek to kill me? Why did my appearance change when I battled Gomess? Why do I have the abilities of a Poe?" My voice rose with each question. I could not contain my desperation and confusion. Or my anger at the Poes that likely knew what I was from the start.

"Lord Jahalla is the leader of our kind; the strongest Poe."

"_Our_ kind?" I interrupted, feeling that she had included me in that statement.

She glared at me, not amused with my rudeness. "Yes, our kind. You are but a Poe trapped in a mortal body."

"W-what?"

"Yes. Eivie is not human. Eivie is not monster. You are an abomination formed when a Poe has been trapped in living body by possessing a person for too long. The body you have now had once belonged to a human and the soul you have once belonged to a Poe. Eivie is the result of the memories being mixed and twisted together."

"Why would a Poe take possession of a body and choose to stay in it?"

"Usually we take control of the dead, becoming ReDead and Gibdo. Sometimes we possess the living, but often only briefly or we will lose to the living soul. Only a powerful Poe can take control of a human and maintain control, only suffering memory loss after a long period of time, but also still retaining a Poe's abilities."

"I asked _why _a Poe would use a body," I stated in mild frustration.

Amy giggled but ceased when Meg turned to give the green Poe an angry stare. Joelle rolled her eyes.

"We do not. It was your foolish choice to trap yourself. Other Poes know better," Joelle answered.

"Joelle," Meg warned. When the yellow Poe rolled her eyes again, Meg sighed and returned her attention to me. "You choose to hide in body when you lost to Jahalla, knowing he is too pig-brained to consider the idea. Even now he doubts your return. Word of Gomess' defeat has not yet reached him, we made sure of that."

"When did I fight Jahalla? You have to be more specific than brushing a subject and expecting me to remember it!" I shouted, losing patience with the cryptic Poes. "Have I not made it clear that I know nothing?"

"Fine, you dull-witted creature," Joelle snapped. "We will show you exactly what you did and how much chaos you had created with your foolishness."

"We may have respect for your former self, but this human before us is irritating," Meg added, glaring at Joelle. "Despite our apparent dishonesty, we have remained quite loyal to you. Remember that before you act rashly upon hearing this, should Death Sword's personality make an appearance, that is."

"Death Sword?" I whispered, the ridiculous name sounding remotely familiar.

"Yes, what is now Eivie used to be called Death Sword," Meg answered as she moved out of the way for Beth to come forward. "We have a potion that had been given to us by a powerful demon. He said it would show you exactly what you wish to know."

Beth offered a small vial, the glass twinkling in the light of the torches. I reluctantly held my hand out and accepted the potion. Before I dared drink it, I examined it, trying to make out anything significant.

"You… got this from a demon?" I sloshed the liquid in the bottle around. A demon was worse than a monster. _Much _worse than a monster. Demon was a name reserved for a select few monsters that had proven to be the most foul of creatures. Should I dare accept a mysterious potion from one?

"Yes. He seemed truthful enough, and mentioned he had a personal liking for you," Meg answered. Joelle rolled her eyes at the last part. "He is also on poor terms with Jahalla. He would benefit from Jahalla's rival returning." Meg sounded like she truly believed in the so called demon's reason to give me such a gift.

"All right then," I whispered, turning the vial in my hands. As hesitant as I was, I still wanted to know what memories the potion would drag up. If it did not kill me, that is. I popped the cork top off, sniffing the brew. My nose scrunched at the harsh, rank odor of the liquid. I swallowed nervously before bringing the vial to my lips, tilting my head back, and downing the foul potion.

For a moment, I gagged and coughed, the taste probably worse than eating rotting flesh with spoiled milk. I considered it may have been a poison, if only for disgustingly bitter it was. Then the world around me seem to spin, the trees flying by with such speed I felt even more nauseous. I was still conscious when I fell to the ground, landing flat on my back and knocking the air from my lungs. As I struggled to draw in more air, I began to feel like I was falling asleep, the world slowly blurring and fading into nothing.

* * *

><p><em>It was dark outside, the stars and moon hidden behind clouds. The only light came from the burning houses and the lanterns and torches of the accursed monsters that had suddenly emerged from the forest. The screams of ReDead and people pierced the otherwise soundless night, causing her skin to crawl and tears to leak from her eyes. <em>

_ No matter how hard she tried to keep quiet, her pounding heart and shaking breathes seemed as loud as the pained screams of the other villagers. She was hiding on the edge of town amongst the snarled limbs of a tree. While she was out of sight, she knew she was not safe from the horrifying ghosts. She could not escape either. She did not know the forest and was much too young to travel it alone anyways. A stray monster could easily devour her in a few bites._

_Her parents were nowhere to be found. Her father had left the house to help the other villages when the Poes arrived. Her mother had distracted them when the ghosts ransacked the house. She was alone now. Alone with no idea what to do. She was a lost child in the middle of a massacre. _

_A sudden crash and nearby screech made her head jerk to the noise. She was just in time to catch sight of a massive black sword with red markings cleaving a person in two. Despite how hard she tried, she could not hold back a horrified shriek. _

_The tree lite up with blue fire, scaring the girl out from underneath. She froze when she saw the creature wielding the weapon. It towered over her, its body skeletal having a thin layer of graying skin stretched over top. The horns protruding from the sides of its head only made it more terrifying. Its glowing yellow eyes narrowed, its mouth showing a wicked smile rowed with sharp teeth. The monster's long gray robes flowed in the slight wind. _

_The girl stared at the monster, too overcome with fear to move. The creature stared back, seemingly analyzing the girl. Before she got the chance to flee, the monster dropped its sword. It flew forward, changing from a physical to an invulnerable state, and went straight into the girl, fusing itself with her body._

_ A Poe clothed in purple, holding a flame of the same color arrived next to the girl. _

_"What are you planning to do with _that_?" the Poe inquired with a hint of disgust. _

_"It has magic in its blood," the girl said, despite the words not being her own. "It may be useful to hide in for the time being, while I recover from the wounds Jahalla has inflicted upon me."_

_ "Do you not worry about losing your memories to it?" _

_ The girl scoffed. "To such a pathetic little human? Even years from now this human will have traces of my memory, my habits, and my abilities. I will need but a reminder to reawaken."_

_ "And I will be that reminder?" The purple Poe did not sound enthusiastic. _

_ "Of course, Meg. Or I will remember on my own, hunt you down, and make sure to completely obliterate you." The girl grinned. "In the most painful manner possible, of course," she added. _

_ Meg gave a slight tip of her head. "Your will shall be followed, Death Sword."_

* * *

><p><em>I lay in the dirt, my body tired and numb. My eyes are closed as I listen to them. <em>

_ "Is she all right?"_

_ "Of course not! Look how pale she has become."_

_ "And her nails, they are a strange shade now as well."_

_ "Is it a monster in disguise?"_

_ "Should we kill it before it wakes?"_

_ "But… what if she isn't a monster? Then we would have murdered a defenseless child."_

_` "True… but this is not how she looked before. It makes sense that it is a monster."_

_ "Are you sure about this? Maybe we should try to wake her before we jump to conclusions."_

_ The group grumbled in agreement. A few seconds later I felt a shoe prodding my side lightly. I must had made a noise because a few people gasped and stepped back. I forced myself to sit up and slowly opened my eyes. When I looked up at the group of villagers, they all stepped away, looking mortified. _

_ "Her eyes!" _

_ "Yellow like the Poes."_

_ "They have changed color! A sign of possession!" _

_ A man stepped forward, threatening to stab me with a sword. I screamed and covered my face. I heard another person shout, followed by the sound of people shuffling out of the way. _

_ "What do you think you are doing?" An older lady hissed, pulling the man with the sword by the collar. "That is a child!"_

_ "B-but," the man stammered. _

_ "Does she look like a threat to you?" The old lady pointed a boney finger at me. "No. She is only a frightened child who just lost her parents."_

_ "She has the eyes of those horrible monsters!"_

_ "Clearly it is a monster trying to trick us!"_

_ The old lady sighed and threw up her hands. She shoved the man out of her way, making her way to me. She crouched down and gently placed her hand on my shoulder. "My name is Syrup. Would you like to come to my home to clean up, to get something to eat, or rest, deary?"_

_I weakly nodded. I was confused as to what all of these unfamiliar people were talking about. I could only tell they were upset with me for whatever reason. Syrup seemed the only nice one, which is why I wanted to go with her, to get away from all of the angry people._

* * *

><p>I held my head as I slowly sat up. The colored flames of the Sisters' touches moved closer. Once the world stopped swaying, I stood up and faced the Poes.<p>

"What did you remember?" Meg asked curiously.

"I remember taking this body over and the day following."

"That is all?" Joelle cut in. "You've been out for hours and that is all you remember?"

Meg hissed at Joelle before saying, "With time more will return to you. The matter with Jahalla will likely cause you to remember more of the Death Sword. Your rage had been the cause of your appearance change; Death Sword will not allow for your defeat. Death Sword is intolerant of the weak and refuses to admit defeat. Until the time you remember all, you will have to remain hidden. Jahalla resides in the Forest Temple we guard. Our disobedience, if discovered, will lead to our final deaths. Death Sword, we have been your allies. We have fought beside you since the day you challenged Jahalla for leadership. Remember that when you confront Jahalla once more."

I nodded, not sure if she was meaning to address me or the creature I apparently was. I felt no different knowing that Death Sword and I were supposedly the same. I still felt like Eivie, the human that had a strange connection with the Poes. The answer I had thought would bring me peace had brought nothing to quell my fears, only more confusion.

I was a monster, but I felt human. I had the abilities of a monster, but the mentality of a human. What was I?

"Where will Jahalla be unable to find me?" I needed to think of the present, on living until a solution to Jahalla was reached.

"Far away from Faron." Meg looked to the sky, perhaps thinking. "You had been from the desert, retuning there may be an option."

"The Gerudo Desert?"

"Yes, the Death Sword had originated from the prison, if I remember correctly."

I was about to ask more, seeing as how chatty Meg now seemed, but was interrupted by a powerful gust of wind that blew dirt into my eyes and mouth. I was forced to close my eyes. The winds were raging, stirring up rocks, dirt, leaves, twigs, and whatever else rested on the forest floor. At some point I may have heard a tree crack as the wind tore the area apart.

The moment the wind calmed, something powerful wrapped around my stomach, latching onto me tightly. With what sounded like the flapping of wings, the whirling gusts returned. My feet left the ground as whatever had me rose up. I looked down, seeing a large black claw clutching onto to me. I tried to pry it off, finding it much too powerful. The creature tightened its grip, perhaps sensing that I planned on trying to escape. With the crushing pressure, I had to fight to breath; there was no possibility that I could try using a spell.

The ground seemed hundreds of feet below me, and the creature was bringing me even higher. Between the quick change in elevation and tight grip of the monster, I began to slip into unconsciousness. My eyes fell closed, but, before the world went completely dark, the creature landed. Then I felt as if I was being carried in someone's arms.

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><p><strong>AN- I hope you all enjoyed this chapter because I have been waiting to get to this part for ages! Eivie is the Death Sword seen in Twilight Princess, or, I guess, possessed by it. I feel like I could have explained that better, so if anyone has questions feel free to ask. I sort of thought of the idea because Wind Waker Poes could reverse the controls for a short while when they possessed Link. I thought maybe they would leave before they got stuck forever. I also mentioned the ReDead and Gibdo because they are also undead creatures, so why could they not be dead bodies possessed by Poes? The first flashback was the human Death Sword found and the second is the following day and marks the start of Eivie's memories. I feel like this may be confusing as well… Because it is such a small detail, I will share that the Death Sword has purple nails which is why Eivie does as well. The jinx spell was my own addition and is based off Bubbles, being invisible and invulnerable is actually used by the Death Sword in-game. And just because Eivie knows she was once the Death Sword does not mean stuff will be all fine and dandy for now on, far from it actually. Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! It means a lot to me. I hope you all stick around for the craziness. **

**Miss Ominous- I don't think I've thanked you for saying "great chapter" nearly every chapter. I really like that, makes me feel successful. So, yeah, thanks! And spring break, I wish mine would have been about now instead of earlier, like a month ago. My brain decided to stay on vacation and being productive is a struggle. I hope you're having a good break, though! Whenever you review is fine, seriously, it's not like there's a due date on them. I am just happy you do take the time to review! So thank you for being here for so long and continuing to read and review! **

**Awkward Passerby- I don't think it's weird to read the other responses. I usually read authors responses to reviews too because the authors will answer questions, explain something, or say something funny. You also get to know the author better too. And I left you with another cliffhanger. I have become **_**that **_**writer, and I sort of want to apologize, but, at the same time, I know it is a good way to keep people's attention. Hope it doesn't drive you too insane! Thanks for sticking around for so long and continuing to read and review! **

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

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><p>I did not want to wake up because of how comfortable I felt. I was laying on something soft and warm, my aching body actually able to rest peacefully. It took a while for my brain to process the fact I had no idea where I was, and, even then, my body tried to deny needing to wake. Instead I remained in a somewhat lucid state, deeply relaxed but conscious.<p>

My nose was tickled by a piece of my hair and I struggled to decide if I absolutely needed to move it. When I felt the lock brushed aside, I felt somewhat content. And, when I felt someone running their hand through my hair, I felt comforted.

But then I remembered I had no clue who was playing with my hair. Completely started, my eyes shot open and my body jerked away, causing me to tumble and hurt my knees on the tiled floor. Just below my ribs and across my stomach, pain flared, reminding me of how I had arrived where ever I was.

"Did you have a nice nap, Eivie?"

My head whipped around to the voice. Vaati sat on the couch, apparently where I had been laying with my head on his lap. He had that smug smirk on his face as he looked down at me, waiting for a response. He had chosen a new outfit since the last time I had seen him. He wore a purple tunic and cape with details in red and gold, dark gray to black pants and boots, and he wore a purple cap with a gold brim and a large red gem. It had a certain old-style flare to it, but it also screamed Vaati with how expensive and, well, purple, the ensemble was.

Instead of acknowledging him, I slowly stood up, looking around. The ceiling was incredibly high, decorated in elaborate arches, tapestries, and even a few paintings. Along the walls, stone statues of monsters and a few sets of armor, which looked very similar to a Darknut's, were placed. Much of the stone work was a medium dark gray with hints of purple. A majority of the floor was covered by plush violet rugs, only a few bare areas revealing polished tiles. The furniture stuck to the theme of purple and looked expensive with how much detail was etched into the wooden frames.

"Where are we?" I muttered in awe.

Vaati chuckled once before standing up. He put his arm around my shoulders. "Welcome to the Palace of Winds. Are you impressed by my home?"

"You mean to say you live here?" I glanced around again. "I do not want to believe you."

"Eivie," he sighed, trying to be dramatic more than actually disappointed in my denial. He took a step away from me. "You doubt that I can have ownership over such a magnificent place?" Vaati tilted his head to the side, his crimson eyes examining me as he waited for me to respond.

I shrugged, breaking eye contact with him. I did not want to debate with him over the Palace. "Where are we in relation to Hyrule?" I had never heard of such a place existing. To my knowledge, the only castle or palace in all of Hyrule was in Castle Town.

"Above the Faron Woods," he answered in a bored tone. "I thought that would be quite obvious, considering how I took the time to personally fly you here. Were you not paying attention?"

I rubbed my stomach, flinching when I hit a tender area. Of course I remembered; I likely had bruises from the rough treatment he gave me. Wait… "You were the one to bring me? But I thought I had been grabbed by a monster?"

He rolled his eyes, looking completely irritated with the question. "Have you not pieced it together yet?" His tone was condescending, like he spoke to a young child. "You were the one who had found the answer, even."

"Vaati, I have no idea what you are speaking of."

"Well, then, perhaps a demonstration is in order." He did not wait for me to say anything, instead he sauntered to the center of the room. Facing me, he gave a sly smile, hinting that whatever he was about to do would likely scare or displease me. That look always meant he planned to do something annoying.

For a second, nothing happened. Then Vaati became surrounded by a powerful vortex of wind. Within the blink of my eyes, he went from the strange Hylian with lavender hair to a horrifying creature. Before me now was a giant red eye, horns rising from its head, and rows of bat wings lining its body, as well as a pair of fearsome claws. What hovered a few feet away was they very creature depicted in the book describing ancient monsters that I had shown to Vaati.

"I see you understand now," his voice echoed, sounding slightly deeper and monstrous in this form.

When he flew closer, I stumbled back a few steps. I could not even find words to question him with. My mouth had gone dry. The only word running through my mind was demon anyways; more an observation than a question.

"I am Vaati, the feared Sorcerer of Winds. I had once terrorized Hyrule centuries ago, before I was cursed and trapped in that blasted sword!" he raged, the wind picking up. "But with time the seal had weakened and I found a way to escape, however I lost a majority of my memories of the past in the process." The gales stopped and he narrowed his eye in manner that perhaps hinted pleasure. "You, Eivie, have been very helpful. With the information you found, I was able to find my Palace… And every book and journal I had kept from the past. Without you I may have remained trapped in the insignificant life of a human." He paused his speech, returning his Hylian form. He strode back to stand in front of me, using his index finger to tilt my head so I was looking directly at him. "And for that, I would like to give you my gratitude." He dropped his hand and paced a few steps away. "You found yourself ensnared in a nasty predicament with Jahalla, correct?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered, hopeful he offered his assistance.

"While I will not kill him myself, I would be willing to help you understand your abilities and how to use them properly."

"Why will you not simply kill Jahalla for me?" I wanted to plead with him to do it, but I felt he had some strange reasoning behind his decision.

"If you intend to take rule of the Poes, they need to have respect for you. Should I kill Jahalla, you will remain a weak, Poe-possessed human in their eyes."

"Why does it matter if they respect me? I do not wish to rule over them."

He glared at me. "Even if you do not wish to be their leader, you will be forced to confront Jahalla. There is no compromising between monsters once a conflict has reached the point it has with the Death Sword and Jahalla. You will either be defeated or victorious. My assistance will determine if you are even capable of defending yourself, and hopefully mean your success."

"Why do you even care? What does it matter if I am the one to rule the Poes or not?" My voice rose, almost beginning to border yelling. "Another monster is perfectly capable of replacing Jahalla if you kill him. I need not rule them, nor do I want to. I just… I just want this to end," I whispered, my eyes watering. My hold on my emotions had finally cracked. "I do not want to be a monster! I did not want to know about the Death Sword and how I am supposedly it in a human body! I just want to go home and live normally…" I did not continue even though I could have gone on for quite some time. My shaking voice and falling tears convinced me to quiet, not wanting to appear completely pathetic. "I am not a monster," I mumbled to myself as I wiped my face.

What happened next surprised me. Vaati hugged me. He held me close, his face pressing into my hair. I stood awkwardly with my hands at my side, sniffling as I tried to keep from crying. He pet the back of my head with one hand and rubbed my back with the other as if attempting to console me. I was so confused by the action I immediately became quiet and waited for him to perhaps explain himself.

"Eivie," he began, his voice muffled by my hair, "you are _not_ human. You will never _be _human. They will not welcome your return, nor do they wish for it." He paused when I let out a shaking sob because of his harsh words. "Now, Eivie, I know you see the truth in my words. Do not delude yourself into believing your own lies."

I said nothing. His words were true and that was what devastated me. If it were possible to separate from the Death Sword, I am sure the creature would have done so. What good was my body now that Jahalla had knowledge of my existence? None. I was now left to defeat or be defeated by a creature more powerful than even Gomess. I could not return to Castle Town and threaten the lives of everyone there on the account of my own cowardice. Link and Zelda did not need to be burdened with my problems. They had enough problems to face with the other monsters. No matter how harsh Vaati's words sounded they were undeniably true.

"But remember that I am willing to help you," he continued, his voice still soft and gentle. "With me you will be safe and welcome." He paused briefly, waiting for me to rein in my tears. "If you accept my offer and agree to swear loyalty to me, we can help each other."

"What… what help would I be to you?" I placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away far enough so I could see his face. For the moment, my tears had slowed. My sorrow was overpowered by suspicion with how Vaati was acting. It was beyond strange considering his typical indifference to problems that were not his own.

"The Poes will be under your authority. While I could demand them to follow my orders, it would be easier and more effective for their leader to command them to fight for me."

"But why would you bother with making allies when you can force them into servitude? I know you better than that, Vaati. What exactly is preventing you from simply threatening them?"

His brow scrunched into a frown, his annoyance showing through his supposed compassion briefly. He then sighed, sharing a bit of information for one. "Because I am not the only monster seeking underlings. One with strength comparable to my own has enlisted many of the monsters to serve him instead. Jahalla is one of them, but, if you replace him, I would gain the assistance of the Poes and other undead creatures. While I would prefer threats and violence, I have been forced into a more political battle in order to obtain what I wish for."

"What is it you wish for?"

Instead of answering, he examined me without any show of what he had on his mind. He finally released me from the awkward embrace, taking a step away from me. "Your questions have certainly gained an irritating quality to them," he commented before turning and beginning to walk away. "Come along, Eivie. You look ready to collapse; I will allow you time to rest."

I reluctantly followed after him, soon arriving to his side. He surprised me again by draping his arm across my shoulder as he guided me to a great staircase leading to the upper levels of the palace.

"I will be expecting your decision tomorrow evening at the latest. If you chose to leave, I shall count you an enemy." I was sure I saw a slight smirk form before he darkly added, "You will be welcome nowhere then: a monster among humans and human among monsters."

I focused on the ground after he said that. Had I really any options? Go back to Castle Town and threaten their lives with Jahalla's vengeance? Stay with Vaati and help with whatever unpleasantness he had planned? Both were horribly unappealing. No matter what I did, I would not be happy. Maybe that was it then; a creature like me was never meant to be happy. My eyes threatened to tears with wave of sadness that hit me from that thought.

"Shh, do not fret, Eivie." He tightened his grip on my shoulder, trying to assure me that he was there for me. His voice returned to the soft, supportive tone he had taken earlier. "I can help you. That is why you should accept my offer. If you swear loyalty to me, you can stay here and I shall provide you with _whatever_ you desire."

I made no attempt to respond. While his words, tone, and body language all showed his concern and effort to comfort me, I could not believe him. Anyone else and I would have not questioned of having ulterior motives, but Vaati was different. It was not in his character to show this level of kindness. I _needed _to doubt his outward show of compassion no matter how much I longed for his actions to be perhaps true. He was Vaati and he always had some selfish motive behind his actions. It always became a game of deciphering his actions and words, which I was usually slow to catch onto.

After walking down a hallway, I sensed a Poe nearby. Vaati let his arm fall to his side and he stopped to address me.

"I have had one Poe serving under me recently. He will be escorting you to your room and assisting you with anything else you may need." A sly smile came to his face. "_Or _you can return to my room with me."

"No, you lowly creature," I hissed. My eyes widened in shock after the words escaped my lips.

Vaati seemed as surprised as me. His wide eyed expression was quickly replaced by a narrow glare though. "So _this_ must be the Death Sword. You overestimate your ability if you think you can insult me in such a way." His words sent chills done my spine with how his voice was filled with a threatening hatred.

My mouth involuntarily pulled into a crooked smile. Once that emotion crossed my face, I quickly broke eye contact with Vaati and focused on the ground.

I had been taken by surprise. I thought it would be gone so long as I was not in danger, but the monster seemed very much present. How much of my actions and words were my own and how much were the Death Sword's? How much of a division was there between me and this monster? I had yet more things to worry over now.

Vaati laughed once, seemingly dismissing my… the Death Sword's words. "I will await your answer," he said one last time before departing. He teleported elsewhere.

I slowly lifted my gaze from the tiles and to the direction of the Poe, who was perhaps a few halls away now. Soon enough a partially visible creature drifted through a wall beside me.

"Hue?" I backed away from the yellow ghost. "What _are_ you doing here?" He had seemed loyal to Jahalla, his presence here was bizarre.

"That sorcerer threatened me with imprisonment in a bottle," he grumbled. "I had not wanted to spend eternity on a shelf."

"And… and you just abandoned your loyalty to Jahalla for that?"

"He also threatened to inform Jahalla that I knew you were the Death Sword from the beginning," he added bitterly.

"Had you known?" I could not help but ask. The Sisters had known the entire time; had Hue been the same?

"The blue Forest Keeper mentioned you _may _be the Death Sword, but also tricked me into watching you by saying Jahalla had requested it." He sighed. "And _I_ had believed her," he mumbled.

"For how long have you been serving Vaati?"

He remained silent for a moment. "The two days prior to Gomess' attack. I had been going to inform Jahalla the sorcerer told you he was leaving the city." When I opened my mouth to interrupt, he added, "I was there in plain sight, but apparently that sorcerer had hidden me from your view."

I nodded, remembering that the ladder had been invisible as well. It was not outlandish that Vaati had done the same with Hue, for whatever reason.

"He suddenly appeared before me and demanded I follow his orders. Now quiet. Your voice is still nauseatingly annoying," he snapped.

I obeyed only for the fact I felt he would answer no more questions. If I had been allowed to continue, I would have asked what orders Vaati had given Hue. Hue had still informed Jahalla and accompanied Gomess after Vaati confronted him. Vaati could have told Hue not to tell Jahalla, but he did not. He _let _Gomess attack me. Yet here I was with him trying to convince me to join him. What did Vaati have planned that he went out of his way for so many things? I could not be _that_ important to his schemes, could I? Only by knowing what Vaati had planned could I even begin to know how I was to be involved.

Hue began to float down the hallway lazily with me following close behind. We made way to a staircase, and, after climbing up many flights, we arrived to another wide hallway filled with doors. We continued on to where I assumed my room was. As we passed a doorway, I noticed a suit of armor across the hall. While at first I made no connection, thinking it merely to be decoration, when the armor moved I noticed it was a Darknut, much like the one I had met in the fields.

As we passed by it, I stared at the creature, wondering if they served Vaati. Or rather why they would serve Vaati. It was doubtful that they followed a leader like the Poes; they were solitary creatures from what I had learned. Had he simply threatened them like Hue?

"Why are there Darknuts here?"

Hue glanced over his shoulder, acknowledging my question. "He summoned them here. That is all I know about them."

"Summoned them?"

"He cast a spell and they appeared," he answered with obvious annoyance. "You are still quite dim-witted."

"And you are still rude," I muttered, a small smile forming. Even if he was irritating and had abandoned me, Hue offered a sort of familiarity I had not had… since yesterday. It seemed these last days had been a lot longer.

Hue glided through a door. I stopped, examining the dark wooden door. Should I really accept his offer to stay here? Hesitantly I reached for the handle. Should I place any trust in a demon? I gripped the handle and turned the knob, slowly pushing the door open. What option did I have? I was far above the ground with no way to escape. I had been made a prisoner by Vaati.

The room was more extravagant than I had even imagined possible. There was a large window opposite of the door, dark drapes barely open to revel the lightening sky of day. A large bed sat against the right wall, very much the vision of luxury with how plush it looked. Not to mention how the warm and soft the blankets looked. Against the opposite wall was a wardrobe, mirror, and table.

Out of curiosity, I wondered to the wardrobe, opening the doors. Of course it was lined with expensive looking dresses in a variety of dark colors, but most a shade of violet. Vaati was showing off. I glanced at my tattered dress before closing the wardrobe.

"Hue, find me something more suitable to wear."

The Poe sighed moodily. "What is wrong with those?"

"I do not like them, as simple as that." I glanced around the room. "And I fear accepting too many gifts from him," I mumbled truthfully.

"Fine. Something similar to what you have?" Hue flew around me, taking note of what to look for. "Will your morals be damaged if I steal?"

"No, just do not hurt anyone." I was too tired to fight with Hue over stealing; as long as he got the clothes I would be fine with it.

He grunted in response before passing through the window, off to complete his task.

Once I carefully looked around the room, I took off my dress completely to examine myself for injuries. The scratches and bites of Gomess' bats had healed for the most part, leaving no scars surprisingly. The other wound from the scythe had scabbed over; this one I knew would scar. I also noticed the deep purple bruises, in areas already yellowing, across much of my torso. He had really been rough carrying me up here, and it was likely not a complete accident.

I pulled a blanket off of the bed and wrapped myself tightly in it. I finally could tell how much my dress reeked of blood. It was beginning to nauseate me so I threw it in the corner as far away as I could get it. Then I laid on the bed, staring at the wall blankly.

What would I decide to do from here? I honestly did not like either of my current options. Returning to Castle Town and facing Jahalla by myself would likely cause the death of a number of people, the further destruction of Castle Town, and my own demise as well. Staying with Vaati offered a chance to defeat Jahalla, but Vaati would not allow me to simply leave afterwards. That other monster he mentioned must be very troublesome if he was so desperate ally with the Poes by me becoming their leader.

I glanced at my nails. And then there was the Death Sword to worry of. I still could not fathom the implications of being a human possessed by a monster. Vaati could at least help me control its powers, if I stayed. After battling with Gomess, I no longer trusted myself. The way Death Sword behaved scared me, especially because I was the one technically behaving in such a deranged manner.

I sighed in defeat and closed my eyes, no longer wishing to be awake. Maybe sleep would help me sort out what I wanted to do. At the moment nothing seemed like the right decision.

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><p><strong>AN- Awkward hugs and words are likely as close to "romance" as I get. In all honestly I am not really sure how to write romance, which is why the genre is drama/tragedy (I think those are the correct ones anyways). I absolutely loved creating Vaati's dialogue this chapter for some reason. Hue's back as well. And what will Eivie decide, I wonder? Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited last chapter! I am so happy you all seem to enjoy this fanfic! I had not thought that I would hear so many compliments in response to my writing and it means so much to me. You all have my undying gratitude, seriously. **

**Guest- You were right, it was totally Vaati! He snatched her right up and nearly crushed her; **_**such a romantic**_**, that one. I'm glad you are liking the story! Thanks for reviewing! **

**Awkward passerby- Is Eivie a villain now? Well, this is hard to answer without giving things away because the line between good and bad is major theme to the story, I think. Link will be back though! He is not merely a side character and has an important role to fulfill. Thanks for reviewing again! **

**Miss Ominous- You could say the same thing every chapter and I would be happy! I mean you took time to do so and that is what matters! And reading late at night… I do that quite a bit too. The Death Sword **_**is**_** scary but I absolutely love that temple! The atmosphere of that place was eerie and creepy, and then you battle a screaming goat-ghost with a giant sword that bursts into insects when defeated; favorite mini-boss ever (and Stallord was awesome too)! …You can probably tell how much I like that place… Thank you for reviewing again! **

**MrsTippet- Thank you so much! I'm glad you think so highly of this fic here. I'm happy you think I've been doing a decent job with details. Details are one of the things I've been trying to improve in my writing. And yay, my characters are believable! I always worry about that for some reason… I know there are typos; there always are a few that escape my notice. If you ever find something horribly wrong, please mention it, I would be grateful. Thank you for your review, favoriting, and following! I hope you continue to enjoy the fic! **

**This is not a good Name- Perfect? Really!? Wow, thank you! I try to catch typos before posting (and go back and fix things sometimes) but there are always some that escape me. If you see any particularly bad ones, please feel free to mention them, I would appreciate it! And… it was the summery that was off-putting, wasn't it? It does not really mention the canon characters… or Eivie's connection to the Death Sword so she probably seems fairly clichéd, especially near the beginning. I'm really happy you gave it a chance though! Thank you for the review and following! **

**TheBigOne- We do make self-fulfilled prophecies, don't we? I don't really have much else to say… I hope you enjoyed the chapters following your reviews! Thanks for reviewing and sharing your thoughts! **

**OtakusRBest- Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I don't think many people review it because this is my first fic and the summery is very OC-centric. Although I am very pleased to have every review that I do have! Writer's block hasn't been the problem luckily. The end of the semester has. I have been so busy with other papers and finals, thank goodness I'll be done soon. Hopefully then I can return to updating more often. Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you'll be sticking around! **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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><p>Hours later I woke up, feeling rested for the first time in a while. Next to me was a plain blue gray dress; Hue had done what I had asked for once. I quickly got dressed and attempted to get cleaned up. I still had blood and mud clinging to me and it was beginning to become disgustingly uncomfortable.<p>

It almost felt like a normal morning- or early afternoon truthfully. I felt as if I would go downstairs and help Syrup run the potion shop, maybe read for a while or visit with Link. I shook my head, trying not to dwell on what would likely never happen again. Thinking about it would only make me unhappy and unable to make a proper decision in regard to Vaati's offer.

I cringed at that thought. Had I a choice in the matter? He essentially threatened to kill me or leave me to Jahalla's wrath if I left. If I stayed I would be a pawn in whatever he had planned, which was certainly unpleasant considering he was a demon that seemed quite vengeful for a past slight, whatever that slight was. I honestly did not want to be part of what would likely turn into a massacre.

One thing I knew for sure was that I would not return to Castle Town. I had caused enough problems for them already, and did not wish to burden them with more. Zelda had enough to deal with considering the Gerudo and the King's illness. Link had the monsters to worry about and did not need another bothering him.

For a moment, I tried to sense where Hue was. He was in the palace, though nowhere near my room. I would try to find him and bother him for more information, I decided.

I walked to the door and peered up and down the hallway. A Darknut paced the hall, armor clicking together as it moved. Without much thought, I quickly and quietly sneaked past it and around the corner. I would rather not find out if the creature would decide me a threat or not. I guessed Hue was near the room I had been in yesterday and went that direction, remembering vaguely where to go.

As I went down flights of stairs, I could sense better where Hue was. He was in fact in the very room from yesterday. I slowed down, being more wary of how loud I was. There was something else bothering me that I only now took notice of. No matter how faint, I could tell Vaati was there as well. It was a new sensation to me. With Poes I just knew they were near, no feeling accompanying them unless they were a different form, like the Imps, or a powerful creature like Gomess. Vaati put me on edge, made me cautious of how powerful he was. That was why I froze up when he turned into that bat demon yesterday. I feared being ripped apart upon his whim. Even now the uneasy feeling was present. In years past I never felt this, perhaps because he himself did not know how much power he had. Now he flaunted it as a sign of authority.

I abruptly stopped, hearing Vaati speaking with Hue. I tried to remain hidden as I listened in, hoping that I would learn something useful.

"You want me to return? After this long? I will be killed!" Hue spat out, seeming quite enraged.

"Inform Jahalla that the Death Sword has returned," Vaati ordered, ignoring Hue's objection.

"He probably already knows! I am not his sole messenger, sorcerer. Sending me would prove useless… especially considering I would be killed for being so late to return…"

"Just do as I say, you belligerent Poe. Jahalla is no fool. He will not dare send Poes here to attack, but he will likely send _you _as a spy because he wishes death upon you already. This way Eivie will not be bothered while she is here, but, should she leave, Jahalla will be the first to know."

"And what if he doesn't send me here?"

"Then you die. Hardly a substantial loss considering I will still have Death Sword."

Hue sighed in frustration, giving into Vaati's orders. Apparently what Vaati had threatened Hue with was worse than death. "It will not listen to you," Hue muttered just loud enough for me to hear. "It is as thick-headed as you are. It does not take orders, which is why it tried to kill Jahalla."

"Leave." Vaati commanded, ignoring Hue's warning.

The conversation between the two ended there. Hue's presence slowly faded away as he left, while Vaati remained. I slide down the wall and sat down, staring at the ceiling.

I could not leave, Vaati had just guaranteed that. Jahalla would be waiting for me, giving me no option but stay. Vaati never intended on giving me a choice. It had been an act.

"Eivie, why do you not join me?"

My eyes widened. How long had he known I was here? Had he… Had he done this on purpose? Had he deliberately let me overhear his orders for Hue just to ensure I stayed?

I stood up and walked down the stairs, a calculating glare fixed on the purple clad mage. He smirked, likely knowing that I had caught on. It was all a game to him, and he was winning.

"I will apparently be staying here," I stated with a hint of bitter sarcasm. There was no need to wait until this evening seeing as how the decision was made for me.

He flashed a mocking smile. "You have made the correct decision, I assure you."

I stopped a few feet away from him, still frowning. He had played with my emotions yesterday. I would not give him that pleasure again, especially because I was not _as _emotionally and physically drained as I had been. I could at least control myself now.

There was a silence as we stared each other down. I stared into his crimson eyes, not breaking my gaze away. He narrowed his eyes, seeing how I was challenging him. He laughed a few times before turning around.

"Vaati. I have agreed to assist you. What exactly are you scheming?" I paused, waiting for him to answer. Like usual, he did not respond. "Vaati, I demand you at least give me some clue. Who is it you are fighting against? What does your plan entail? I would very much like to have an idea of what you plan on using me for."

He whirled around to face me. "Are you curious?" he mocked. "Have you absolutely no inkling to what I seek? Who stands in my way?"

"No," I snapped, "that is why I am asking!"

"I see your attitude has returned. Yesterday you had been a pathetic, whining child." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "You are always so unpleasant, no matter your mood."

"Stop changing the topic."

"Fine," he stated after a brief silence. "I had never agreed to share my plans with you. I only mentioned that I would help you understand your abilities."

I was about to speak when he held up his hand. With the snap of his fingers, three puffs of smoke brought with them three Darknuts. I stumbled back a step, already having guessed what was about to happen. Vaati walked forward, summoning a cleaver-like weapon. He offered it to me and I reluctantly accepted the blade. Upon closer inspection, the weapon seemed quite similar to what a Bokoblin might use, but lacking in wear and in better condition.

"It is similar to what the Death Sword wields, only smaller in scale so you are able to use it." As he walked past me, he signaled the Darknuts to attack.

"You are a foul being, Vaati," I muttered, gauging my odds against the armored monsters. I bit my lip nervously, knowing that I had little chance against them.

I quickly summoned a burst of blue flames. While they were distracted, I ran, hoping I would be able to lose then in the maze of a palace.

* * *

><p>I had stumbled through countless corridors and rooms, fleeing from the Darknuts. They had been faster than I assumed, easily keeping pace with me throughout much of the frantic chase. I had managed to take one down after casting a jinx and using my ghost state to attack it from behind.<p>

Now I leaned against a pillar, trying to catch my breath. I was not made for running, that much was clear. My heart pounded in my ears, almost to the point I almost missed the thundering steps of the remaining monsters chasing me. I glanced at the sentry flying nearby. Vaati had been watching my sad endeavors to defeat the Darknuts, but still ignored any pleas for him to stop the monsters' attack.

I screamed as the pillar shattered with the swing of a sword. When rubble stopped showering down, I tried to run once more. A Darknut stood in front of me, sword raised and ready to strike. My eyes widened, my mouth slightly agape as I watched, as if in slow motion, the blade swinging down.

I fell to the ground, my side cut open and blood rushing out of the wound. I landed on my back, knocking the air from my lungs. The Darknut towered above me, studying me as I gasped for air and coughed up blood.

It was there. In the back of mind the Death Sword fought to overthrow my will and face the monster. I held on, focusing on caging the crazed monster rather than the pain of the massive gash. I pinched my eyes together in attempt to forget the Darknut.

"Why is it you fight against it?"

I opened my eyes and squinted through my blurring vision. Vaati stood next to my head, looking down at me with indifference. The Darknut had stepped back, waiting for Vaati to finish speaking with me. I coughed when I tried to answer, only ending up smiling awkwardly through my pained expression.

"You should not fight against your instincts. You will only die faster that way." He nudged my head with his foot, earning a groan from me. "Embrace the Death Sword's power as your own. You are the same, you only chose to identify as separate."

"No," I whispered. "I am… not that monster."

"You are," he stated harshly. "No matter how much you deny it, the Death Sword has always been you. You have inhabited the same body for over a decade. You have taken on its traits and mannerisms." He motioned for the Darknut to step forward and raise its sword. "Pretending to be human is what is holding you back from your true nature. You are a monster no matter what you do, how you act. There is no fleeing from yourself."

"I am not…"

"Stop deluding yourself and accept the fact you are an inhuman creature!" He walked away, his cape smacking me in the face. "Or die as a pathetic human."

The Darknut brought down its sword, prepared to stab me through the stomach. The fear of death broke my concentration.

The blade crashed through the tiled floor, dust and debris filling the air once more. I hopped to my feet, gritting my teeth as pain shot through my body. The Darknut searched the room, expecting me to become visible soon after disappearing.

I lite the creature aflame, further distracting it as I slowly dragged my feet. Its back was vulnerable, particularly with its preoccupation with the flames. I slashed at the straps holding the armor in place. Plates clattered at they hit the ground, the Darknut grunting in surprise as it turned to face me.

It was too late to save itself. As it spun and aimed its sword for my head, my blade bit into its neck, dark blood spattering across the room. The beast's sword smashed into the floor when the creature dropped it. For a second it managed to fight falling, but as the pool around it grew, the weaker it became. Soon enough it hit the floor, exploding as it died.

The other Darknut charged forward. As it drew near, I cast a jinx spell, disabling its ability to use weapons against me. Despite this it continued charging, knowing that it could still use its massive, metal clad body against me. I snarled in annoyance. The creature was stubborn.

The room filled with a blast of blue fire. I faded away from sight amongst the chaotic fire. The Darknut stumbled to a stop, frantically searching for where I had gone. My cackling at the confused monster bounced around the room.

With the inferno blazing, I quickly slashed away the Darknut's armor. It swung blindly, hoping to strike something, only to have its sword smash into a wall, ground, or pillar. It was sad really, how desperate the thing had become after losing its sight and armor. The frantic creature tripped over the rubble it had created, falling to the ground with a thunderous crash. I let the blinding flames dissipate.

Its sword arm was first to go, my cleaver easily slicing through the limb. I kicked the sword so it was just out of the reach of the Darknut. Next to go was a leg; did not want it running away, now did I? Stepping on its chest, I looked at the bloodied creature with a crooked smile, admiring my work.

With a final few slashes to the chest, the creature lie motionless before exploding in a puff of smoke. The whining human should have let me do this sooner. We would have not been injured if I had been allowed to fight. I glanced down at my side, the clothing torn and bloody once more. The wound had begun to close, but still burned with pain. Human bodies were too frail.

The sorcerer clapped his hands, applauding my actions. My eyes narrowed in response. I had not forgotten about how he nearly killed me by summoning these Darknuts. _Oh, no. This would not be tolerated._

I turned to face him, lifting the gifted sword and resting it on my shoulder. _This cheap weapon should be returned. _I smirked before flinging the sword across the room, aimed directly at the blasted mage's smug face. His eyes widened in surprise before he quickly teleported out of the way. As the sword impaled itself in the wall, I found myself slapped with so much force I was knocked to the ground. Wiping blood from my split lip, I chuckled at his seething expression.

"Give me one reason I should not kill you for your actions," he growled.

"You are the one that seems desperate to have me." I stood back up, only to have him grab me by the front of my dress. "I would not damage this body too badly. Would not lose your only ally, would you?"

"Infuriating creature," he hissed. He pushed me away and took a few steps back, disgusted with my insolence. "Why are you even bothering to hide in that body? You would be much more useful if you resumed your monster form."

I was forced to hold my side, trying to stay on my feet despite the pain. "Never one for answering questions. We are annoyed by your avoidance, mage. I see not why I should answer you when you do not extend the same courtesy."

"This is not an equal partnership. You are to answer to me, not question me at every opportunity."

I shrugged. As if the demon would consider me of equal standing; I knew better than think that. He had been arrogant enough to assume I would blindly follow his lead, though. "For now, I am bound to this body. The girl has been fighting me as of late; our personalities have separated to a degree. We are different beings again, unlike years prior. Those humans have been a poor influence on her." I paused, considering what I had said. She had rejected me when she became convinced she could play human. Her caretaker should have not moved her from the village, have allowed her to befriend the knight and princess. "Once we stabilize I will be able to have complete control over this body."

The sorcerer scoffed. "I appreciated her more when she had wit. Now she just whines and that is simply intolerable. I will be sure to continue assuring her she is a monster to eliminate this human aspect she has taken." He paused and seemed to consider something briefly. "So are you the Death Sword then? You act more reasonable than the Poes say."

I laughed at the question. How to answer in a way that made sense? We were two souls in one body that had begun to split apart. "To a degree, but at the same moment, I am not. The Death Sword and the original human eventually had their personalities merge into the one called Eivie. The one parading around as Eivie as of late has been more human in disposition. I am more like the monster. Years ago, around the time of our meeting, we were the same. Our soul was one. She accepted that she was inhuman then, but those humans gave her the opportunity to be different. The more she fell into denial, the more our personalities split and fought." I paused, taking a few steps closer to the mage, dragging my feet. "The Death Sword owes you a great deal. If you had not put us in peril and we had not rediscovered our abilities, the Death Sword would have stayed dormant and eventually lost to the human." I moved closer. My legs suddenly buckled and I caught myself by grabbing onto the front of his shirt. I looked away from my bloody hands staining his clothes to coldly stare him in the eyes. "I absolutely despise you for that," I whispered. "I had almost escaped from my fate but you had ruined any chance of my survival. When the Death Sword returns, Eivie will die._ I_ will die. You guaranteed our death because of your damned selfishness."

I looked away, stumbling a step back, and clutching my side once more. I felt like myself again. All of the anger I had built up seemed to fade until I was left with pain and emptiness. I had known this, hadn't I? I wanted to be human so I rejected what I was. The Death Sword did not want to die, so it reminded me. Now I was a mess of emotions that I could barely make sense of. I could not even tell who I was anymore. Eivie? Death Sword? Someone else? I felt completely insane not being able to answer something so seemingly simple.

"I have been planning to defeat Ganondorf, the Gerudo King," Vaati suddenly stated. "He has been the one gathering monsters and, if I am correct, planning on using them to conquer Hyrule."

"Do not tell me you plan on stopping him without gaining something in return," I muttered, not expecting any reply.

"That is correct, but I have not planned that far ahead yet. He needs to be eliminated first."

"You are lying."

"I am," he admitted bluntly. "I do have an idea of what I want, but you do not need to know that just yet."

"Can I at least know what you plan to do with me?" I asked before muttering, "Death might be the better option knowing you."

"I will not ask you to hurt your precious humans. I only need someone they will trust."

"That who will trust?"

"No more questions," he sighed, turning to leave. "Go rest. You have a lot to learn before you will be any help to me."

I watched quietly as he paced down the room. He teleported after his dramatic storming off. With his departure, I slowly made my way to a wall and collapsed against it. My side felt horrible and climbing the stairs back to my room would be impossible. I would have to rest amongst the rubble and blood of the fight with Darknuts.

At least now I had an idea of what Vaati wanted. The Gerudo king needed to be killed in order for Vaati to reach whatever goal he had in mind. It could be worse. If I helped with Ganondorf, the monsters harassing Castle Town would perhaps leave. If the Gerudo had in fact been after the king, then they would be gone as well. I could still help them, even if it meant helping Vaati.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! I hope you all enjoyed. This was mainly a set up chapter for the next big obstacle: Ganon. Link will be back soon as well (like next chapter). Vaati has also been really into planning lately, which is sort of different than Minish Cap and Four Swords. But this is set after Four Swords and he has learned his lesson about impatience. Just in case that bothered anyone, that's the mini-explanation. If anyone has any questions I would be happy to try and answer them. **

**I guess I just want to try to explain Eivie and the Death Sword. I have seen them as separate beings even though they are in the same body. The Death Sword is dormant because it had to hide from Jahalla while it recovered, but Eivie's personality took over in the meanwhile, although some of the Death Sword's traits remained. These being its ability to communicate with Poes, the eye color, finger nails, and even its speech patterns (no normal child would have spoken as Eivie did in the first chapters). Over that time Eivie gradually became more concerned with being human and moved away from identifying with the monsters. With Jahalla's return and Eivie's reluctance to fight, the Death Sword tried to return to save itself. This caused them to begin to split apart again, leading to the struggle with identity Eivie has now. It is a confusing mess and I hope it makes some sense. I will probably explaining it more in later chapters. **

**Miss Ominous- I hope I explained the Eivie/Death Sword thing all right. I reread everything I have so far and I think I have shown that she has gradually became more "human" than "monster." The actual Death Sword has a far different personality than Eivie too. While she doubts herself and wishes to fit in, the Death Sword is cocky and wants to be recognized as superior, which is not really seen much yet. Eivie is her own character while the Death Sword is another, is what I want to show, I guess. I actually have a separate OC for the Death Sword that will possibly be in a prequel to this story (if I actually make it). Your review really forced me to consider the Eivie/Death Sword relationship and gave me some good ideas to use, so thank you! And thank you for reviewing again! **

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

_One month later _

* * *

><p>The morning sun had yet to rise over the horizon, the sky still dark gray as far as I could see. I sat in on edge balcony, my legs dangling down between the pickets of the railing. There were a flock of Guay circling above the palace, squawking as they flew around.<p>

"Annoying," I muttered. They were breaking the silence I had grown accustomed to with my resumed nighttime wanderings.

I actually was rarely awake during the day anymore. Vaati and I had found a nocturnal schedule worked better for us. Monsters were more active at night, so he would gather a few and send them to their deaths fighting against me. Training had been arduous and Vaati made sure to challenge me to the extremes. A few times he even sparred against me, although it was quite easy for him to beat me. His magic was unbelievably strong. While he typically stuck to wind magic while fighting me, he had demonstrated his ability to cast illusions, turn the living to stone, and create barriers.

One fight had taken place outside and he accidently knocked me off of the palace grounds with a small hurricane, sending me plummeting to the grounds below. The look on his face as I fell had been oddly… comforting. His eyes were wide with presumably terror and he was slightly shaking when he retrieved me. In some twisted manner he seemed not set on killing me, even though he threatened to often. He was still cruel though. He once attacked me using an illusion to make himself look like Link. I had been unable to fight him, or even defend against him. Vaati had not been pleased with that and must have yelled about how hopeless I was for a solid hour or two. Sometimes I absolutely hated Vaati while other times I… felt oddly attracted to him. He could be quite charming when he wanted to be. His flattery was delivered so convincingly I might have believed him if I had not been so suspicious of his motives. Admittedly, his compliments were sometimes welcome. I sighed, not wanting to try and sort out the mess our relationship was.

A few of the Guay began screeching as they fought.

"Quiet you stupid birds!" I shouted as I stood, having had enough with their racket.

They were silent for a moment, perhaps not expecting someone to be shouting at them. Then the black birds began making their din once more. Fed up with them, I cast a jinx spell, lighting the entire sky with blue flames. The flames did not burn them; I had learned that effect was particular to undead. Instead the birds were shrouded in cold flames, severely scaring them if nothing else. Physical beings would be unable to use weapons, but because birds brandished no such things, the spell was more of a threat than anything. The Guay flock flew off quickly, deciding the area too hostile for their liking.

"That was quite an overreaction," Hue commented, reminding me he was even there. "Were you even listening to me?"

"I was not." I leaned against the banister and watched as the birds flew off into the distance. "Continue your report."

"Fine," Hue grumbled. "Jahalla still seems to lack conviction. He has made no attempt to infiltrate the palace or even send scouts. I had been able to speak with Meg and she confirmed Jahalla does not seem overly excited to kill you anymore. He has us more focused on serving the Gerudo because that is more of a direct threat than even you."

I nodded absently. Jahalla still did not actively seek me out because he was too busy helping overrun Hyrule with monsters by the will of Ganondorf. "And how is Castle Town fairing?"

"The humans' defenses are weakening. More and more monsters are gathering closer to the town. That knight you are _friends_ with is fine, no need to pester me about him. The king is near death from whatever curse he suffers from, but the princess has been handling it well enough. The Gerudo had left the town on the basis of 'business' elsewhere and has yet to return."

"Any idea what business he had to attend to?"

"Punishing the Lizalfos," Vaati suddenly chimed in. He leaned on the railing, his shoulder brushing against mine with how close he chose to stand. "You are dismissed," his words directed at Hue.

Hue hovered for a second, looking to me for permission. I nodded my head slightly. If Vaati wanted to speak with me in person and alone, the matter must be of some importance. Hue did not need to be involved if Vaati sent the ghost away. Hue faded from sight and slowly made his way back into the palace.

"Yes?" I tilted my head to the side, waiting for an explanation. I honestly had no idea why he was here. Often I would not see him for days at a time and would speak with him through his sentries. A face to face meeting always included some twist.

He looked at the horizon, the sun considering to rise, turning the sky gray instead of dark blue. For a moment he refused to look at me, while I looked at him with raised eyebrows. "It is time for us to take action."

My eyes widened. "A…action?" I stuttered. I had dreaded this moment since coming to the palace, mainly because I did not know what he planned to do.

"Yes. I thought you would be more excited," he said rolling his eyes, also adding a chuckle. "Instead you stand here speechless with a look of fear. Do you not trust me, Eivie?"

"Of course not." I did not need to even consider the answer to that question. "Would you even trust yourself?"

He shrugged, not surprised. "Would you like to hear my plans?"

"Vaati," I grumbled with a glare. "Must I beg for an answer when you obviously want to tell me?" His smirk was enough to say that he did indeed want me to beg. I growled quietly to show my discontent. "Please?"

"Is that all? Please? I know you can do better than that," he teased, about to wrap his arm around my waist.

"Just tell me." I took a step to the side, giving some distance between us to show I was seriously annoyed with him.

"Fine," he sighed. All playfulness was replaced with strictly business. "I have been waiting for Ganondorf to leave Castle Town. The Lizalfos had been carrying out my orders to create a distraction by killing area monsters. I of course made sure the casualties had been comparable enough to demand direct attention. While he is gone, we have to act." He stopped taking suddenly.

"Why do we need to act? Why is it important he not be in Castle Town?"

Vaati let out an amused laugh before giving me a dead serious look. "We are going to kidnap the princess."

"What!?"

"Have you heard of something called the Triforce?"

"No, but what do you mean…"

Vaati shushed me by placing his finger on my lips. "Behave."

I nodded slightly to show I would be quiet, seeing as how he, for once, would oblige my questions with a solution.

"The Triforce is an ancient relic of great power, supposedly able to grant those who possess it wishes. From the research I have done, I believe that Ganondorf is trying to gain possession of the complete Triforce."

"How does that involve Zelda?"

"The Triforce is split into three pieces, each held by a person. Zelda has a part, which Ganondorf is sure to go after. Many records mention the females of the royal family carry a special power, presumably the Triforce." He randomly sighed before grumbling bitterly to himself, "I wish I had known that the _first_ time. It would have simplified things greatly."

"And the other pieces? Do you know who holds the others?"

"Ganondorf has one." He scowled before saying, "I have a guess who has the other, but that is of little importance this moment."

"You want to kidnap Zelda in order to keep her piece of the Triforce away from Ganondorf," I stated. "Then what? Do you plan on taking all of the Triforce for yourself? I will not assist if I am forced to hurt Zelda."

"Calm yourself. I do, in fact, intend on gaining possession of the Triforce, but first Ganondorf must be dealt with. He is our main concern, do you understand that, Eivie?"

"Yes. He must be defeated, that much is clear."

"As for Zelda, I do not plan on harming her." He did not break eye contact, looking sincere for once. "I have a way to obtain her piece without injury, so do not worry over that."

I bit my lip and nodded, hoping I could trust him. Looking at the ground, I took a moment to think about what he had told me. "What will you do with the Triforce?" My voice was low and quiet, already fearing his response.

"I will become an unstoppable god." He repeatedly spoke about this; becoming a god, or, rather, a monster of incomprehensible strength. He was obsessed with power. "Eivie." His voice was softer, perhaps betraying emotion or noting a clever ploy to manipulate me; I could never tell which it was. He strode closer so he stood in front of me. Gently, he tilted my head so I was looking at him rather than the floor. "You are welcome to be at my side."

"Yes, I know," I mumbled, avoiding looking at his eyes. "What… is it you want me to do?"

Vaati chuckled a few times, excited about whatever his plan was. He strutted back the balcony's rail, his cape twirling dramatically behind him. "After I tell you the plan, we will go directly to Castle Town while dawn has yet to break. If you do exactly as you are told, no one shall be harmed."

* * *

><p>The sun had just begun to rise, the sky turning pale oranges and yellow. All I heard was the rush of wind and the flapping of Vaati's wings. In monster form, he carried me down from the palace and to Castle Town. I shifted uncomfortably; being held in a giant claw would never be comfortable, even if he was not trying to crush me.<p>

Suddenly he descended, making my stomach lurch with the rapid changes in elevation. I hated flying. Despite feeling absolutely miserable, I forced myself to look down. We were above Castle Town and about to land somewhere just outside of the walls. Vaati changed to his Hylian form, causing me to feel like we were free falling uncontrollably and scream. He reacted by covering my mouth and yelling in my ear to shut up.

Once our feet touched the ground, I stumbled a few steps away, not sure if I could stand with how nauseous I was. He allowed me a moment to collect myself. After adjusting to being on the ground for the first time in a month, I stood straight and faced him. He rolled his eyes and began rearranging my hair and clothing, which had been disturbed by the flight. I scowled, seeing that every piece of his long hair was still in order and his flowing clothes showed no sign of having been in a windstorm. Having enough of his preening, I swatted his hand away.

"Take this." He handed me a small sheathed dagger. "If she resists too much, a nick with that dagger will cause her to fall asleep."

I nodded as I fixed the dagger at my hip.

"Try to be convincing, Eivie. Do not allow for them to sway you with words."

"I will do as you instructed."

Suddenly three sentries appeared, all of them hovering over to my side. "I will wait for the sound of screaming." Vaati smirked before teleporting. He would be on the castle roof, waiting for me to grab Zelda and disable the guards.

I swallowed nervously as I turned to face the wall surrounding town. Without much thought, I shifted into a ghost. I walked through the stone wall and into the streets. Not many people had left their homes yet, it would seem. At a quick pace, I made way for the castle, passing through whatever happened to be in the way. With a lot of practice, I had been able to incorporeal for nearly an hour, the only side effects being my skin gradually graying, nails darkening, and my eyes beginning to glow. While I was uneasy about using the Death Sword's power, it was necessary to enter the castle with the least suspicion.

When I reached the castle gates I froze. I was actually doing this. I was about to help Vaati kidnap Zelda. They would hate me, if they did not already. But if I did not help Vaati, then Ganondorf would take the Triforce, which seemed fairly important judging Vaati's description. Then Zelda would be killed and Link would surely be caught up in it all. Vaati would be the next to go; Ganondorf would not keep a possible threat around. Without Vaati's protection, I would be dead as well, be it by Ganondorf, Jahalla, or possibly the Death Sword. It would be for the best... taking Zelda captive. Right?

One of the sentries squeaked, questioning why I had stopped. I shook my head and continued, hoping Vaati would dismiss my apprehension. He did not like when I hesitated to take action. That is likely the reason he sprung this plan on me so suddenly. He did not me to have time to think things over.

The guards positioned on either side of the grand door way did not notice me as I slipped by, completely invisible to them. Once inside, I glanced around, considering where to go first. Not many people were milling around the entry and the castle seemed fairly quiet. I decided to go to the throne room first. Perhaps a few people would be in there talking and their conversation would lead me to Zelda. I walked through yet another wall.

There were people everywhere. Guards and knights to be exact. All I could see was shining plate armor and weaponry. In front of the room Zelda stood next to the Knight Captain, Link's father. The king was absent. Link's father was speaking to the gathering about monsters residing in the fields and how they were closing in on the town. The group was planning an assault on the monsters in attempt to force them to leave.

I crossed the room, trying to avoid passing through people when possible. The unlucky few would shiver and glance around suspiciously. I had had Hue do this to me once just to understand what people felt as a Poe passed through their body. The only physical effect was feeling chilled to the bone, the psychological effect was paranoia. Every person I passed through would be on edge, which was certainly something I did not want. I was kidnapping a princess from a room full of armed men after all.

As I stepped to the front of the room, Zelda snapped her head in my direction, causing me to stiffen. She squinted for a moment. She must have been able to sense me but not see me. Link's father looked at her questioningly. Zelda waved her hand to dismiss her sudden action, asking for him to continue with the meeting. I dared not make a noise as I continued forward, hoping that she would brush off whatever she had sensed.

It was when I stood right beside her did I start shaking nervously. My hand went to my side, slowly grabbing the dagger, trying not to drop it. I stood dumbly behind her, not having the conviction to carry out the plan. Even though I was invisible I felt as though every eye was focused on me. That feeling was far worse when I looked over the crowd, noticing someone familiar. My heart dropped as I stared at Link, who was dressed in his green tunic and near the front of the crowd. He was focused on his father's words, but that would not be for long.

One of the sentries flew into my face, glaring at me with its singular red eye. I nodded weakly. With one step I was well within reach of Zelda. That was when I became visible. I quickly grabbed her and tried to position the dagger near her neck. I needed to be convincing. She struggled, yelling for me to unhand her. The room was filled with gasps and shouts, as well as a few weapons being drawn.

"Quit struggling or you will get hurt," I whispered, more in warning than threat.

She froze at the sound of my voice, slowly trying to get a sideways glance at me. "Eivie?" Her tone caused me to look away. Betrayed would be the only way to describe her voice in that instance.

Before the knights had any more time to process the situation, I created a firestorm. The blue flames of a jinx spell spread throughout the room, everyone now unable to use their weapons. As soon as the flames vanished, a new crash drew everyone's attention. The ceiling crumbled down, a gaping hole letting sunlight flood the dust filled room. In the center of the room and above the crowd, the demon eye hovered.

"Do not move," I whispered to Zelda again.

"Who are you, monster?" she shouted as she tried to shake me off.

Low rumbling laughter filled the room, echoing like thunder in the space. "I am the Wind Sorcerer Vaati."

"Vaati?" Zelda's eyebrows drew together as she looked at the bat winged creature. She must have recognized the name but not the appearance. "Why are you here?"

"To take control of Hyrule, of course." A powerful gust of wind cleared a path through the knights. He slowly flew closer. "As well as to take you captive." With that, he began flying slowly over to us.

This was when Zelda really began to squirm. She elbowed me in the ribs, almost knocking me away from her. Link's father had moved towards me, ready to pull me off of her, only to have a searing laser shot at him by one of the sentries. Link also ran to the front of the room, but he was too late to do anything. Vaati had already grabbed Zelda in one of his massive claws.

The jinx spell wore off and many of the men in the room had drawn their weapons. As they ran forward to attack, a shield surrounded us. I stood still, fixated on Link. His expression was painful for me to see. Anger burned in his eyes, while he also looked absolutely shocked. Betrayal was the perfect way to describe how he looked at me. I bit my lip, knowing how much he must despise me now. He had been my first friend. He had offered me a kindness I had never been shown previously. And I betrayed him in every way. I was a truly a monster for this.

As Vaati grabbed me and lifted me from the ground, I mouthed a silent apology. He did not acknowledge it, instead drawing his sword. Link took one last swing at us, jumping and trying to stab through the barrier Vaati had created. His attack was reflected, causing him to fall to the ground.

He screamed as we flew outside. He shouted again and again, his voice still audible as we cleared the roof. All I could hear over the sound of beating wings and Zelda's complaints was Link as he desperately yelled "Zelda" over and over.

* * *

><p>By the time we came into view of the palace, Zelda had given up shouting and trying to free herself from Vaati's grip. Understandably, she still looked incredibly angry, as well as scared. Vaati seemed to concentrate on flying, momentarily ignoring Zelda and me. If he had been paying attention he would have been disgusted with the tears occasionally overflowing from my eyes. I did not want him to chastise me for acting weak. Monsters were not allowed to show weakness.<p>

He flew into an opening in the roof of the palace that lead into a spacious room with vaulted ceilings that perhaps was once used for grand balls and extravagant dinners. Now the only decorations to behold were stone statues of monsters and occasionally humans that had angered him. Vaati essentially dropped Zelda and I as soon as we were close enough to the floor. I managed to stay on my feet, expecting such treatment, but Zelda fell to her knees. Vaati then reverted to his Hylian form, allowing for me to see his giddy smile. He had been enjoying himself it seemed.

"How dare you," she said as she quickly stood on her feet and brushed her dress off. "What do you think you are doing? I demand you take me back this instant!"

"You are my prisoner now, there is no returning to Castle Town so long as I live. You might as well cease your complaining and enjoy your stay, or else I might grow annoyed."

"Why did you bring me here?" She clenched her fists tightly as she took a step closer. "You have no reason to hold me captive when you could have simply killed me and usurped the throne." Despite how upset she was, her voice was steady and did not rise to a yell.

Vaati shrugged. "I have my reasons. You should be grateful to me actually. If you were not here, than Ganondorf would surely have you captive instead. I am at least not intent on killing you."

"The Gerudo King," she muttered spitefully, not very surprised interestingly. "I _knew_ he had been planning something. Wendal, I demand you tell me what you know."

His smile faded at the mention his human given name. "My name is _Lord_ Vaati to you, princess." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Zelda to acknowledge his orders.

She stared stubbornly at him. "Eivie, what do you know?"

I stuttered, not expecting her to ask me anything. She must have seen that Vaati had no intention of answering her. I looked to Vaati, wondering if I should dare speak. His glare told me no, do not utter a word. I ended up closing my mouth and looking down at the ground.

There was a long silence, presumably the two stared each other down. Vaati was probably smirking because he had shown how he influenced me so easily and that Zelda would not get any information from me.

Vaati spoke first. "Eivie, escort the princess to her chambers." He walked over to me and leaned closer to softly say, "We will meet later to discuss our next move."

"Understood," I replied quickly, not hiding my curiosity but also not trying to question him now. After the first few days of staying in the palace I had learned that he would not answer unless he wanted to; questions only irritated him.

He left me with Zelda and a few sentries. One of the bats took the lead, expecting us to follow it to wherever Zelda's room was. The palace remained a maze of corridors that even Hue had complained about it, and he could pass through walls.

"Follow," I said quietly, pointing to the sentry. "It will show us the way."

Zelda did not seem keen on moving and slowly trudged along after the bat. I stayed a few paces behind her, avoiding looking at her entirely. Honestly I wished Vaati would have had something else take her, like Hue or even Darknuts.

"We had been worried about you," Zelda commented, her voice showing some bitterness. "We thought you had died, but instead you have been here, helping a demon."

"Vaati offered to protect me," I mumbled. "I did not have much choice in the matter."

"Why had you run away? Link and I could have helped you."

I scoffed quietly. "I am not human and I had no business staying in Castle Town. There is nothing you could have done to stop this." I held my hands in front of me, seeing my purple, claw-like nails. "I doubt even Vaati can help me," I whispered.

She stopped walking and turned to look at me. "What happened to you? Whatever I sense now had not been there before, or it was at least hidden very well. Are you possessed by something? A Poe or…?"

My eyebrows came together, slightly surprised that she could sense such a thing. "A monster called the Death Sword. It had attacked Ordon Village years ago and apparently has been within me ever since. When Gomess attempted to kill me, it woke to protect itself, and me by default."

"Why do you stay here? If he cannot help as you say, then why?"

"I…" The truth was I did not know. In the end, if I did kill Jahalla, what did that accomplish? Eventually the Death Sword would find a way to escape and kill me. Vaati had admitted he had no idea how to separate us at the moment. If he could not help me, why did I stay and tolerate him? "I believe in him, no matter how much I know I should not. He has promised that you and Link would not be hurt and that he would find a way to remove the Death Sword if I helped him."

"Eivie, Link and I do not need protecting. I am also sure that we could help you if you did not keep trying to push away." She paused and sighed. "Despite your recent actions, you are a good person. I know you are, which is why you should leave Vaati."

I laughed humorlessly. After all I had done she still thinks I am good? She did not understand that I was a monster. I was inherently bad. I could not simply leave Vaati and go about being human like I had been. That was how I got into this situation originally. By acting human I ruined my chances of combining with the Death Sword and sealed my fate to die when it breaks free. Vaati and his magic would be my best option in the end. He seemed to have an idea how possession worked at least.

"Eivie," Zelda sighed, shaking her head, "what has he done to you?"

"He showed me how delusional I had been, how diluted I was to think I could resist instinct forever."

Every lie I had told myself about being human, he had shown me the truth. There is no escaping myself. In the end, I would be a monster. I had no options and I had been a fool to think I did.

Zelda seemed to catch the cue that I would not be speaking anymore. She shook her head again, maybe pitying me. The sentry led us down a few more halls and stairs before stopping outside of a room guarded by two Darknuts. Zelda opened the door and stepped into the room. She looked it over but shared no comments about it. No matter how nice a room it was, it was still a prison. A sentry perched itself on the corner of a table, its attention fully focused on Zelda.

"Tell Vaati that Link will come. Tell him that Link will defeat him, no matter how powerful he thinks he is," Zelda stated as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Link will never abandon his friends."

I looked at her, wondering if she meant anything by that comment.

"We tried finding you, Eivie. Link went all the way to Ordon in search of you. He spent a week searching the surrounding area for you." She paused. "And, because he now knows you are with me, he will come here. He will come to save us both, even if you do not think you need help."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- And the conflict over the Triforce begins. Since all three holders were present, I decided to include it. Link will be back next chapter and more involved than he was in this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and the last one as well. I feel like I may have rushed this chapter a bit, though. Thank you SkyKly for following and favoriting! Thank you to everyone reading as well! **


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"We tried finding you, Eivie. Link went all the way to Ordon in search of you. He spent a week searching the surrounding area for you." She paused. "And, because he now knows you are with me, he will come here. He will come to save us both, even if you do not think you need help."

She was still willing to help me. She seemed convinced that Link was still willing to help me. What had I done to deserve their friendship? Their loyalty? I helped kidnap her. I lead Poes to the city. I had only caused them grief, so why? Why did she insist that she would still help me? How could I even begin to explain to her how wrong she was to trust me, to be kind to me, to show me pity?

I stood there dumbly as I tried to think of a way to respond. After several minutes of silence and Zelda waiting patiently for me to respond, the other sentry that remained fluttering near my head begun to chirp irritably. I nodded to show I understood it wanted me to follow it and that it need not screech in my ear. In truth I was thankful the creature had saved me from trying to explain to Zelda how misplaced her trust was. I quickly followed the bat out of the room, closing the door behind me. One of the Darknuts glanced at me suspiciously before returning its gaze forward when it recognized me. They had learned not to attack me after I had killed a dozen of them for such actions.

I followed the sentry through the palace, guessing I was heading back to the ballroom area. Sure enough, once I entered the room, he was there, waiting in the center of the room. The sentry flew off, leaving me to stand a few feet away from Vaati, nervously wringing my hands. I had not expected him to call for me so soon.

"I would like to continue forward with my plan. Eivie," he grabbed my hands and forced them to my sides. "Quit your fidgeting. You look pathetic."

"I apologize," I mumbled, quickly looking at the floor to avoid him seeing me roll my eyes. "What is it you need?"

"You need to accompany Link while he goes to defeat Ganondorf. According to legends, Link is the only one capable of wielding the Master Sword, the only weapon capable of sealing Ganondorf. You will go fetch the sword with him and keep an eye on him for me."

"I refuse to go with Link," I spat out as soon as he finished speaking. "I cannot. I will not!" There was no way I was traveling around with him, not with all that had just happened. Even seeing him now would be enough to cause a breakdown, I am sure.

"Eivie," Vaati growled in warning. He did not care how I felt; I was going no matter what.

This, however, did not stop me from trying to get out of it. "It could be a long time before we even find this… This so called legendary sword. I do not need to watch over him as he searches. Maybe… maybe just when he confronts Ganondorf would I need to be present?"

"I already know the general location of the sword," he stated bluntly, shattering that argument. "I have not been idle this past month." He sighed before adding quietly but angrily, "I also spent centuries in the damn blade; I know where it is."

"You… You could just send some sentries to watch him."

"Link would kill them on sight. It is hardly reliable, especially because he may be more hesitant about killing you." He glared at me and I knew that I should quit arguing, but I continued, hoping that he may miraculously decide not to send me with Link.

"I still do not wish to go. _Please?" _I grasped the front of his shirt, trying to show how desperate I was, if my tone did not. "Please do not make do this. I beg you, anything but this. I really do not want to do this."

He stared back with no emotion, his eyes cold to my pleas. No matter how much he liked begging, he would not change his mind this time it would seem. But he had not told me to stop yet, so I continued trying.

"Quiet," was his response when I opened my mouth. "You are being very disobedient. Do you think that I would change my mind after you plead so pathetically?" His words were laced with anger but he did not shout. Instead he growled his words through gritted teeth. "You are merely a pet, yet you act as though I should care about your opinion."

I took a step back, and, as my hand left his chest, I noticed my hand had become pale and nearly gray, the bones protruding grotesquely. My nails had also lengthened and darkened. _No. They should be back to normal by now._ I glanced at the floor, seeing a dim yellow glow reflecting off of the tiles. That was when I knew something was horribly wrong. My eyes should have been normal by now.

"You seem to forget how kind I have been to you," Vaati continued. "I offered you safety. I helped you understand your abilities. It is by my magic that you appear human. Yet you argue when I ask you do something as simple as following Link? I had not even asked you to harm him, but you, with all of your misplaced emotions, decided it is too difficult a task." He was seething now, the wind in the room beginning to howl. "And, do tell me, why should I even bother with you if you have nothing to offer me? Why should I waste my time and energy protecting you and hiding your true appearance when you cannot complete even a simple task without griping about it?"

"Please, do not remove the illusion." My voice quivered as I stared at my hands. Over the last month, the physical changes that accompanied using the Death Sword's powers had worsened. Without Vaati's magic, I would barely look human. His illusion was the last scrape of humanity I seemed to have before I appeared completely monstrous to the world. "I will accompany Link. I will not argue anymore. Please, just do not remove the illusion."

He said nothing, giving me a blank look like he was deciding whether to accept my plea or not. Eventually he sighed in defeat. After a moment, my hands returned to normal, my eyes likely following suit. "Come along, then. I do not want him to have time to process all of today's events."

Vaati took a step back and waved for me to move back as well. I did as told, anticipating that he wished to take his demon form to cart me around easier. After a brief fury of wind the giant demon eye hovered above the ground in front of me.

Before he had a chance to grab me and fly off, I had one thing to say. "You seem on edge. Is something bothering you?"

He growled in response before roughly grabbing me and taking off, creating massive amounts of wind that would drown out any further comments I had. It only proved he was bothered by something. His speeches damning my behavior were rarely so emotional. Sure, he has tried to guilt me into doing things before, but usually he did not involve himself by essentially saying "I did all of these things for you, you should return the favor." It was always my actions he used, never his own. His tantrum showed he was distracted with something else.

* * *

><p>Vaati decided to land on the cliff overlooking Lake Hylia. I glanced around in mild disgust. The two crumbled pillars remained, the rubble scattered about the area. The third still stood, although it appeared that it could possibly be destroyed by a breeze. This is where I learned the jinx spell. This is where <em>everything<em> begun. If I had had a sword I would have pulverized the remaining pillar just to get the anger out of my system.

Instead I sat down on a portion of a broken pillar. I rested my elbows on my knees and my chin on my hands. Vaati had taken to pacing back and forth, seemingly very caught up in his own thoughts. Perhaps even nervous. I scoffed at this, knowing that he was indeed distracted by something as I had thought.

"Something on your mind?"

He abruptly stopped pacing to glare at me. "No."

"I have been paying attention to your words, Vaati. I am not a complete fool." I paused waiting for his response, which was just a raise of his eyebrows. "You are a demon that attacked Hyrule centuries ago, searching for something along the lines of the Triforce, but did not notice _the first time _that it was with Zelda. I presume you failed at whatever you were trying to do and were defeated, but, instead of killed, you were sealed _in the damn blade._"

"Sometimes you are very troublesome, especially when you use your brain," he commented, including a slight sneer. "You must have questions if you are deciding to bring this up. I _may _answer them."

"Why are you so nervous now? This is _your_ plan after all. Are you second guessing something?"

"I am not nervous," he snapped defensively. "Link having the sword is a necessary risk in order for Ganondorf to be defeated and for me to take ownership of the Triforce of Power."

"You are afraid Link will send you back to the sword, are you not? Even before you rediscovered who you were you hated Link. Why? Does Link have a part in this _legend _concerning the Triforce as well as your past?" I narrowed my eyes as I waited. When he refused to answer, I knew I must have been on the right track.

I sighed and rolled my eyes slightly when he turned around, fully intending to ignore me yet again. If only I had a better understanding of Hyrulean lore. Vaati seemed to be referencing it as though it were fact lately. If I had an idea of what the legends involved I may have a better idea of what Vaati had planned or what fate awaited us in the end.

If I even made it that far. Judging by my appearance, I had little time left. With every passing day the Death Sword grew stronger and threatened to take over. Vaati had offered to find a way to help me, but, at this point, even he had no ideas. It was a race against time, but if Vaati got the Triforce's power, he could probably help me. And, if I helped him get the relic, I could protect Link and Zelda, and maybe even Hyrule, from Vaati. Then, after I did not have to worry about the Death Sword, I would have to find a way to stop whatever Vaati's bid for godhood involved.

There was a shout, effectively drawing my attention in the direction of the fields. It was Link and he was enraged. The next yell was clearly Link screaming "Vaati" with all the hatred and fury he could. The first thing I saw was the sentry zooming by Vaati and next to me, obviously freaked out and fearing for its life. The next was an arrow nearly driving itself into Vaati's face as he teleported out of the way the last moment. Link came into view riding sandy coated horse. He tossed the bow to the side and was drawing his sword as he jumped off the back of the horse.

"Where is Zelda?" he shouted as he charged at Vaati, sword poised to kill.

Vaati summoned a sword and narrowly had time to block Link's attack. Vaati used a gust of wind to knock Link off balance, giving himself time to take a swing at Link. Link defended with his shield, taking the chance to stab at Vaati with impeccable speed. Vaati teleported out of the way again, this time he reappeared standing a few feet in front of me so he had some distance away from Link.

"Where is she? What did you do to her?"

Vaati shrugged, presumably smirking as he did so. He just could not ignore an opportunity to play with Link's emotions.

Link of course charged forward once more, ready to slash Vaati apart. I had never seen him as furious as he was now. Link was fully prepared to kill Vaati in that moment. There was no hesitation in the way he viciously attacked, which was horrifying and sad at the same time. Link was always so kind and gentle, but Vaati had pushed him to this savagery.

I stood up, ready to break up the fight. They did not even notice me with how completely preoccupied they were with killing each other. The sound of swords clashing filled the air. It annoyed me how Vaati was playing around like this. If he actually meant to harm Link he would do so with magic, not a sword. Not to mention his own plan seemed to hinge on Link defeating Ganondorf for him. Fighting was an unnecessary risk driven by his personal dislike for Link.

Vaati glanced over his shoulder at me, noting that I was walking closer to them with the intent to end the farce. He blocked another attack from Link with a smirk before suddenly disappearing from sight. When I was suddenly pulled back, I knew where he went. Vaati rested his hands on my shoulders and made sure he was behind me. I was his new shield, although he could have cast a magic barrier instead. His theatrics would be forever irritating. Link did not attack, choosing to stare at us with slight disgust. I was unsure if the look was aimed at both Vaati and I, or only one of us. My early apprehension returned and I swallowed nervously, finally recognizing that I would have to speak with Link, alone, soon enough.

"We did not come here to fight, but rather present a proposition to you," he began, only to be interrupted by Link.

"Where is Zelda," he demanded once more, but this time not yelling. The anger was still there, but reigned in to speak with control.

"The princess is safe, that is all you need to know for now." Link opened his mouth, but Vaati quickly added, "Eivie can confirm this."

I froze for a moment, being put on the spot, but was able to say, "She is safe and will not be harmed." I glanced over my shoulder to confirm this with Vaati.

He nodded slightly, affirming that he would keep his word to me that no one be injured. "Now, as I said, I have a proposition for you. If you wish for the princess' safe return, you will accept my offer."

Link's angry glare was his only response.

"Surely you have noticed the Gerudo King is suspicious. He intends to take over Hyrule, which would mean the princess would have to be dealt with next, seeing as how the king is incapable of ruling. By hiding her away, you should have adequate time seek him out and destroy him."

"And you expect me just to do what you want? You want me to go and kill someone based on _your_ word?" Link spat. "I don't trust you at all so why would I believe anything you say?"

Vaati chuckled a few times. "Trust has no part in this. I am merely telling you how to save the princess. If you choose to ignore my information, then it will be Hyrule and the princess that suffer in the end."

There was a long pause. Link seemed to be thinking about what Vaati said, perhaps considering what else needed to be asked before he dared agree to help. As Vaati waited for a response, he actually pulled me so uncomfortably close that we were touching. As I tried to escape his grasp he ended up trying to hold back a laugh. I was mortified when saw Link looking at us, looking confused and repulsed. That was when I knew that Vaati was just being childish and doing this for a reaction from Link and me, as usual.

"I would not mention the Triforce to him," he suddenly whispered, causing a shiver to go down my spine. "If you do, I guarantee things will not end well for the princess or him. Do you understand that, Eivie?"

I quickly agreed with a nod of my head. His tone was enough to cue me that what he meant to do if I disobeyed would be a thousand times worse than he made it sound. I could very well be his newest stone statue.

"What…" Link begun hesitantly, "do you exactly want me to do?"

"So you do understand reason," Vaati pushed me away, causing me to stumble forward. Then he sauntered a few paces in front of me, perhaps deciding he did not need to use me as a shield any longer. "I have knowledge of a weapon capable of defeating and sealing Ganondorf. This weapon, however, can only be wielded by a select, goddess chosen, few. Eivie and I would be incapable of using such a blade, so I have been forced to enlist you."

"You want _me_ to go fetch some _magic _sword," Link repeated, sarcasm filling his voice. "Why do you even need a special sword? He is just a Gerudo, not some all-powerful monster… Or _demon_."

"He is a warlock, not some mere warrior swinging a blade around, like you. I would be capable of killing him, but he has made a deal with a demon, which granted him near immortality. It would be best to use a divine sword as a precaution."

That was his lie then. Ganondorf made a deal with a demon instead of using the power of the Triforce. Even Link raised his eyebrow suspiciously at Vaati's reasoning. Even he knew that Vaati would not simply do something out _precaution_. Ulterior motives were more his game.

"And if, _if, _I go get this sword and defeat Ganondorf, you will return Zelda to Hyrule safely?"

"Yes," was all Vaati had in response to that.

"What do you get out of this?" Link raised his eyebrow.

Vaati shrugged. "I am sure I will think of something that Hyrule could repay me with."

I rolled my eyes. _That was hardly believable, Vaati._ If he were trying to convince Link to even remotely trust his word, dodging questions was certainly not the way to do so.

"Is there anything else I would need to know before getting the sword?"

"Eivie will be accompanying you."

Link looked at me, causing my eyes to dart to the ground to avoid contact. I would have to explain a lot of things to him. A lot of things I was uncomfortable thinking about, let alone talking about.

Link sighed and rubbed his hand down his face before looking at Vaati with determination. "If Zelda is hurt in any way, I will be after you next, using your oh-so-important sword. That is a promise."

Vaati gave a devious smile. "I would expect nothing else from you. In return for ridding me of Ganondorf, I will return Zelda to you unharmed. The sword is hidden deep in the Faron Woods, inside of an ancient temple."

My heart skipped a beat. "The temple… in the forest?" I quickly went to Vaati's side, my eyes wide with fear. "That is… That is where Jahalla is. You want me to go _there_?"

"Yes, Eivie," he sighed, "I do. You have avoided this long enough; you need to confront Jahalla and now is an opportune time. You will even have your precious knight's help. Do not try to argue with me. I am still not pleased with your earlier behavior." He leaned closer to quietly add, "If you cross me, Jahalla will be the least of your worries. Do not mention any of my plans to Link. Do not mention the Palace of Winds' location nor its structure in great detail. The less he knows, the less likely I am to kill him. Remember this."

After staring at him through narrow eyes for a few seconds I said, "I understand. I require a weapon, though."

"Of course." He handed me the sword he had been using earlier, earning a look from me. "It will be easier for you to carry a normal sword than your regular weapon." He summoned a scabbard and belt. "Hue had also mentioned that the Death Sword's weapon is on display in the temple. I suggest taking it, if possible."

I began fumbling with the belt, having no clue how to operate it. I had never had to deal with one before and it definitely showed. It should have been simple, but my shaking hands did not help the matter.

Vaati rolled his eyes at my helplessness and began leading me over to Link. "If I suspect that you intend to ignore my plan, I will take whatever action necessary," he threatened one last time. Then he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I bit my lip, knowing that it was only Link and me now. There would be no avoiding him for any longer. Every possible scenario I had thought of when I was reunited with Link suddenly came to mind, and very few ended happily.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I don't really have much to say… That was a lot of dialogue, though. More set up than anything. I hope everyone enjoyed it, however. Thank you to everyone reading, Lurking Phoenix for the favorite, and ornamental-reciprocity for the review and following! **

**ornamental-reciprocity- I'm glad you are liking my story! I think I've read some of **_**Stalemate **_**at some point before I got this account! I should go read it again because I remember it being incredibly good. I was wondering how I was doing with the foreshadowing of events and character motivations, so I am happy that you think they are fairly good! Again, thank you so much for leaving such a nice review!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

We stood in silence, unsure of how to even begin discussing the past month. I avoided his gaze and chose to focus on looping the belt around my waist. My hands shook to the point the clasps were impossible to tighten, causing me to fumble helplessly. My nervousness only worsened when I heard Link take a step closer. A part of me considered that he would scream in my face. A part of me wished he would because I deserved his hatred.

Instead, he took the belt from my hands and effortlessly fastened the clasps. It was so simple, I was slightly embarrassed by how incompetent I was.

"You were never able to give me that sword lesson," I whispered, suddenly remembering that day that seemed so long ago. I smiled slightly when I recalled how much simpler it was back then.

"I guess I wasn't," he replied after a moment.

There was another silence. I glanced at him before retuning my gaze to the ground. Link seemed hesitant to speak, but also ready to ask numerous questions. If we were to travel together, it would be best to answer everything now, rather than later. It would be difficult, but it was better than being completely standoffish as we traveled. That was a level of awkwardness I did not want to deal with.

"We should… talk about this now," I muttered, somewhat hoping he would not hear. I dreaded his questions more than anything because the answers would show how rotten I was.

"Where did you go? Why did you run away after fighting that Poe?"

"I went to Faron to speak with the Poe Sisters in hopes they would… know why my appearance had changed. They…" I paused and took a breath, hoping to continue with minimal emotion. "They told me that I have the soul of another monster known as the Death Sword inside my body. When Gomess attacked, it, the Death Sword, allowed me to use its power to protect us, but also caused my appearance to change."

"So you're possessed by some monster?" he said in disbelief with a comparable amount of skepticism. "When did that happen?"

"Approximately when I was five. The Death Sword had challenged the Poe leader, Jahalla, and had lost. It fled to Ordan Village and attacked in search of a suitable body to hide in. It found a young human and possessed its body." I held up my hands and stared at them. "And I am the result. I am both human and monster. A creature that was never meant to exist."

"You're… You're still human." Link stated. "You haven't always acted like a monster, so you're not."

"Denial is only making matters worse. I am a monster and I have never truly been human. It was my mistake to act as a human and my actions have created this situation." I quickly said, not putting a second thought into my, no, Vaati's words. I had been trained well through his psychological attacks.

Link seemed taken aback by my refusal to believe my humanity existed. His eyebrows were drew together and his mouth slightly agape as he tried to find words to express what he thought. "What happened to you? You're acting so, so cold and emotionless!"

"Vaati."

Link paused, his face morphing from confusion to anger. "That would explain it," he said with absolute disgust and loathing. "You two were looking pretty close. Is that why you are helping him? Because you like him?"

It only took that one word to make me completely flustered. "I don't… I…" After stuttering I figured I needed to think about my answer before spouting out whatever came to mind. "It's more complex than that and _feelings_ are of little importance."

"_Complex?_ That's it? That's all you have to say? You are helping a demon!" He shouted accusingly. "I want to know why, because… because you're not a bad person. So why? Why are you helping a demon like Vaati?

"I have no choice!" I snapped back. "You cannot even begin to imagine what is going on, all of the things that can go wrong, and how much chaos will ensue. Vaati is willing to help me if I help him. In the end, he is a far better option than letting Ganondorf terrorize Hyrule. Vaati may be a demon, he may be untrustworthy, but he is the only one that can help me. He is the only one that could possibly save me."

"Help you with what?"

I laughed nervously a few times, trying to hide how I really felt. "Nothing of importance. Forget I mentioned it." He did not need to know that the Death Sword was slowly taking over. With all of his foolish compassion he still may be willing to help me, and he needed to focus on defeating Ganondorf and possibly Vaati. I was far less important than Hyrule. My life was nothing in comparison to all of the citizens that would be slaughtered by monsters if this battle continued.

He paused for a while, perhaps considering if he wanted to push the issue any further. He dropped that subject but brought up another in its place. "Why did you attack Zelda like that?"

"If I had not assisted Vaati, he would have gone alone and things would have been far worse. By disabling the guards and keeping hold of Zelda, less people would be in danger of being killed. The knife had a sleeping poison and was more for show than anything else. Please believe me when I say that my participation saved Hyrule from more bloodshed than if Vaati had done it alone."

"Why did you take her?" he asked bluntly.

I kept quiet for bit as I decided what I could tell him that would sound convincing but not giving away Vaati's plans. "Ganondorf does want the throne; I fully believe that is his motive. His followers have already placed a curse upon the king. Zelda is naturally the next target. Vaati took her somewhere that Ganondorf would have great difficulty reaching. It truly is for her protection."

"Where is he keeping her?"

"If I said a floating palace, is there any chance you would believe me?" His face caused me to stifle a laugh. "It is the truth. It is called the Palace of Winds and it is miraculously floating somewhere over Hyrule."

"All right then. I am not sure if I entirely believe that, but you seem awfully serious for it to be a joke or something."

"I am not one for jokes," I muttered with a hint of a smile. Then I glanced at the sky and frowned. "It would be best if we make way for Faron. When we reach the woods' edge, we should set up camp and wait until morning. I would rather not deal with the Poes at night."

"I guess," Link mumbled. He still seemed displeased with having to go to Faron for some sword. He began walking up the stairs, picking up his bow he had carelessly thrown down earlier. "I need to get a few things before we go off on some ridiculous quest for a _magical _sword."

"Understandable."

I quietly followed behind him. Once I was on the grass of the fields, I saw the horse Link had been riding now peacefully grazing a few feet away. He had mentioned a horse a few times, though I could not recall its name. He patted its shoulder before mounting it. Then he waved me over and held out his hand, offering for me to ride with him.

I hesitantly went forward, and, as I reached for his hand, the horse suddenly reared. As Link tried to get the horse to calm its stomping and angry grunts, I stepped back, baffled. Even animals feared me. They knew I was a monster.

"I guess we can walk." He dismounted the horse and patted its side. "It's okay Epona," he whispered. He began walking forward, leading the horse.

This time I stayed a distance away from them. It was a relatively short walk to the gates of Castle Town. We parted far enough away that I would not be seen by guards. He said that he would be back after leaving Epona at the stables, grabbing some things from home, and making a vague note to his father.

It was then that Hue let himself be seen. The ghost had arrived after Vaati had departed and had been silently trailing me for some time now.

"He sent you here, yes?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. The sorcerer said that I should _help _you." He rolled his eyes behind his mask. "I am obligated to ask what you want me to do."

"I want you to fetch the lantern in the potion shop. It is still there, correct?" I tilted my head, hoping it had not wandered off in my absence. I was amazed he was still there to be honest. A month hiding in a dusty attic must have been absolutely demeaning to him.

"You want me to _deliver _it to you? I doubt it needs an escort," he huffed.

"No. Just tell him it is time for him to assist me and the Death Sword. Afterwards, go back to the palace. I want to know exactly what Vaati is doing and if Zelda is safe or not. Report back of there is anything worthwhile. Stay if you find nothing. I know you would rather avoid the impending confrontation with Jahalla."

He growled a bit at the jab at his cowardice. "As you wish," Hue muttered bitterly as he faded away.

With Hue off to do his errands, I was left alone. I decided to sit on the ground as I waited for Link to come back. The sun had recently set, the burning reds slowly giving way to the blues of night. The silence was absolute. Aside from a few insects chirping, there was no noise. The townsfolk must have become more wary of nighttime and made sure to be home well before the last light faded away. Or perhaps they were hiding at home, cowering in fear at the thought of the two monsters returning to whisk them away like they had the princess.

My thoughts suddenly turned to the kindly witch. I had no idea how she had been since my absence. It was well in my ability to sneak into town and visit her, but I was not sure if I could stand seeing her. She would point out how stressed I seemed and be right. She would try to convince me to stay and that everything will be all right. I did not need add to the guilt I already felt. Syrup also did not need to be included in this fight any more than necessary.

I looked at the sky, trying to escape my doubts. I needed to focus. In order for this to work out how I wanted, I needed to concentrate fully. If I messed up Vaati's plans, there would be no future to worry of.

"You ready to go?" Link asked, suddenly interrupting my thoughts and causing me to flinch.

I nodded as I stood up and brushed the grass off of my dress. He mumbled an okay before we began walking in the direction of the woods. For a while no one spoke. I decided to ask the question that now decided to nag at me. "Link, how is Syrup?"

"Worried, obviously. The few times I saw here she asked if anyone had seen you yet. If she wasn't busy brewing potions to help all those injured by monsters lately, I think she would be a wreck." He glanced over his shoulder. "I left a letter for my father. I told him to tell Syrup that you were at least alive."

"Thank you," I muttered quietly. She had treated me as her own, even after knowing that I was likely possessed by the very monster that had destroyed the village. She willing took me in even if the villagers were to shun her. Syrup was a witch only in name, not in action.

"What are we fighting?" Link asked some time later. "Do you have any idea of what we are up against?"

"Groups of monsters will often follow the strongest of their kind. For Poes, it is Jahalla. And, as for Jahalla, he follows Ganondorf. It could be anything, but likely only Poes and ReDead."

"Why does this Jahalla want to kill you so bad? I mean, it wasn't really you who attacked him."

I laughed a few times. "Jahalla is a coward. His battle with the Death Sword had nearly killed him as well. He thought his greatest threat was dead, only to find out it was very much alive. Now he wishes to kill me before the Death Sword fully returns." I frowned and bitterly added "Grudges between monsters last until death, and sometimes beyond."

He gave me a look before continuing. "Do you know anything about where we are going? How many enemies will be there?"

"I know how to reach the general area of the temple and one of the Poe Sisters will lead us the rest of the way. They may assist us as well, especially considering how Jahalla knows of their betrayal. I have no idea how many other Poes and ReDead will be there, but expect the worse. I cannot imagine Jahalla will be unguarded."

I heard Link give a heavy sigh and mumble "of course this can't be easy" under his breath.

Conversation was dropped as we focused on walking and avoiding hazards hidden in the low light of night. The forest was coming into view when we reached a horde of Bokoblin. They at first did not notice us, but one squawking monster that happened to see us alerted the entire group. Link quickly drew his sword and charged forward without hesitation. I did not move, instead waiting to see what the monsters intended to do. Three of them decided to take on Link while the other four split off in different directions to attack me.

I awkwardly pulled my own sword out. It was so light in comparison to what I had grown used to using. The sword felt like a spindly stick when I thought of what the Death Sword's weapon would be like. I chuckled a bit when I pictured my bony arms holding a massive sword, if I even could lift it that is.

It did not take long for the two of us to kill off the weaker monsters. I ignored most of what Link had done because I was too busy dismembering my little group. They were no challenge when compared to the Darknuts Vaati had sent after me repeatedly. The Bokoblins were easily sliced to bits because they lacked armor. Vaati had sent so many monsters after me I eventually grew numb to killing them. Now I maybe even enjoyed it to a degree. Obedience was law. And, when broken, the weak were killed. The Death Sword had ingrained that law into my mind. I only wished the creatures death because the world was better off without them.

"Have they always been so bold?" I asked Link when the last Bokoblin fell. "And social?"

"Lately they have been grouping together like this." Link looked at the carnage, paying particular attention to me. The bodies disappeared with a puff of smoke. "You really have changed." He mumbled sadly.

I glanced at the blood on my sword, knowing what he meant was true. The apprehension was almost gone. I would kill at slight offenses if in the correct mindset. "Vaati taught me not to bother showing mercy to them. They are mindless worms with little to offer than distraction." I frowned. Being with Link really showed how much Vaati had affected me. His bad habits were infectious _because acting otherwise would be punishable._

"What… happened between you two?" He asked slowly and carefully, without the accusative tone from earlier. He seemed genuinely worried.

"Nothing," I whispered softly, focusing on the ground. "He only made me see the truth of my situation."

"Vaati is a _liar_." He suddenly commented. "You know him better than anyone, so you must know that. Whatever he told you, I doubt it was the full truth. Eivie, you have been jumping from emotion to emotion and you seem very confused right now." He paused and took a breath. "I just want you to know that I won't lie to you. I hope that you will forget about severing Vaati or whatever. I'm sure Zelda and I could help you with this possession thing."

I smiled weakly at his words, but did not reply.

"Oh, and," he added, digging around in his bag for something. "I want you to remember that everything before this was real. You used to be a nice person. Only recently have you been acting like a villain." He held out a necklace. "I never got a chance to give you this. I picked it up at the festival before… you know."

He dropped the necklace into my hands. It was the one I had been looking at. The pale green stone reflected moonlight as I looked at in awe. A stray tear might have slid down my face, but I did not care. Link had bought this for me without me asking and just because he noticed that I liked it. I slid the necklace over my head and let it fall limply against my chest.

I remained quiet as I stared at the stone. Even Link was still willing to give me a chance. After all I had done and said, he would help me. Vaati may have thought that I was completely his, but I still had a mind. I could still make my own decisions. Vaati was _not _my only option to protect what I cared about.

"Thank you," I mumbled, a wicked smile attempting to form with my happy one. Vaati had been right, I was a monster, but he sorely underestimated me by thinking I would forever be his puppet. If it was the last thing I did before losing my mind to the Death Sword, I would see that he would never become a god of destruction.

"Yeah," Link said hesitantly, likely seeing my expression. "I'm still mad though."

"Understandable." I smiled again, happy to have the opportunity to redeem myself. "Come along. Soon enough we will be in a good place to make camp for the night."

He mumbled an okay and we began walking again. I could not help but notice a glaring sentry some distance away. A final devious smile formed before I became emotionless, hoping Vaati would not get too suspicious. He would not have been expecting me to betray him. Poor, weak Eivie bowed to his will, but it was time to forget that. I was not gone just yet.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- And now off to Jahalla~ He will be dealt with at long last, but how will that go, I wonder? Eivie is also done mopping and ready to go against Vaati. I feel like things will pick up again and will be less dialogue and more action. Thank you all for reading! Thank you Hyuuga Reborn and Zetra Shink for following/favoriting! Thank you to the reviewers as well! **

**Zetra Shink- I'm glad you like it! It must be pretty good if it kept you up reading. Your encouragement is very welcome and I am so happy you like my writing! Thank you for your words and reviewing!**

**LostSoul- Thank you for taking time to review! I'm always happy to hear people enjoy this story. I hope you enjoy the rest of it! **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

We chose a place to settle for the night and made ourselves as comfortable as we could on the ground. Link had even made a fire and offered to share some bread he had stashed in his bag.

After a moment of silence and relaxing, Link decided to ask, "Do you want to sleep in shifts to keep an eye on things?"

"That sounds like a good idea," I said, mildly surprised. I had not even considered that as an option. I had planned to stay up the whole night so he could sleep. I was used to staying awake through the nigh anyway. "I can take first watch."

"Are you sure? You seem really tired."

"I will be fine for a while. I will wake you up if I get too tired to remain awake."

He nodded once before laying down on his back. "Wake me up if something happens or when you're tired, then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I mumbled quietly.

When I decided Link must have fallen asleep, I leaned back and looked overhead, thinking. I honestly had no idea where the palace was up there. The ground and everything on it looked positively tiny when I had dared look over the railings or when flying over. Landmarks were difficult to see, especially considering how few I knew. Vaati also had a habit of flying above the clouds when he flew me around. The palace could be anywhere.

I sighed in frustration. Even if I knew where it was it was still in the sky. It was impossible to reach without flying or teleportation, and Vaati seemed the only one who could do such a thing. Well, Hue could fly, but there was no way he could carry anyone up there. Poes were simply not that strong. I needed another way up there if I wanted to steal Zelda back or get Link there to fight Vaati before he had all of the Triforce. Vaati had to know who had the other piece, so I had to protect Zelda because Ganondorf definitely did not need to continue his reign of destruction.

I wish I would have paid more attention to Vaati's gloating and ranting. He probably gave away some important information. But, of course, I had not planned on betraying him. I had been completely willing to help him before I realized how much damage he could do. It was obvious that he would kill anyone that was in his way: Ganondorf, Link, Zelda, and likely even me.

There was no way he _cared _about me enough to keep me alive. Vaati only saw me as a convenient pawn, especially because of how well he seemed to know me. He always knew just what to threaten me with when I refused to cooperate. I frowned when I thought of how stupid I had been. I knew from the beginning that he was trying to confuse me but I still fell for it. I am still unsure whether to believe anything he said or did.

With a growl, I continued trying to think of ways to get to the palace and free Zelda or get Link there to defeat Vaati. Even after a few hours I had nothing. I felt myself beginning to nod off and decided to wake up Link and get some rest. At least I thought I was going to finally get some peaceful sleep, but when had things ever gone as expected? Instead I ended up reliving a memory I would rather have forgotten. Sometimes reality is far worse than nightmares.

* * *

><p><em>It was still my first week in the palace. After the latest "training" session of Darknuts chasing after me, I was lost in the labyrinth of halls, levels, and rooms. I had no idea where I was or where I was going because it all looked the same. Hue had chosen to run off, leaving me without a guide or someone to even talk too. I was growing irritated enough that I had subconsciously begun wandering nearer to where I could faintly sense Vaati. When I noticed that I was drawing closer to him, I slowed my pace and tried to be quieter. Being as suspicious of him as I was, I could always try to spy on him to learn something useful. <em>

_I stopped, finally recognizing where I was. It was the room with high vaulted ceilings, large open windows, and rows of stone statues. I stepped back into the hall when I heard Vaati's voice. He had not been talking to me, but seemed to be carrying on a conversation with someone else, a woman judging from a second voice's pitch. _

_Peeking around the corner, I carefully glanced around the room to see who the other voice belonged to. Upon seeing the guest my eyes went wide. She had long red hair pulled back into a ponytail, dark tanned skin, and a cloth covering much of her face except her golden eyes. She was a Gerudo, but, more importantly, I recognized her clothing as belonging to the warriors that always guarded their King. Judging by how she was held back by two Darknuts and occasionally trying to pull away, she was not a willing guest. _

_Vaati was standing with his back to me, which seemed safe enough for me to continue watching. The Darknuts were more focused on holding the woman than any eavesdroppers. I concentrated to listen in on the conversation._

"_My patience is wearing thin. I will give you one more chance to answer before I resort to other methods of interrogation." Vaati's voice was level and cold. "What does Ganondorf intend to do once the King of Hyrule is dead?"_

_The woman laughed quietly. "You think you threats will intimidate me? If I were to tell you, __**his**__ punishment would be far worse. Your move, mage," she dared without a hint of fear. "What are you going to do now?" _

"_Well then," Vaati muttered in annoyance. He held up his hand, a bright, crackling spell forming. "I suppose you will make a decent decoration if nothing else." _

_The spell was launched at the woman, her immediate reaction being a scream of pain. The Darknuts dropped her to the floor where she laid gasping for air between screams as she slowly turned to stone. Whatever Vaati had done, the spell was not instantaneous, but gradually turning her flesh to stone starting at her feet and spreading upwards. _

"_Of course, I could reverse this spell if you told me what I wished to know," Vaati added, speaking over her agony. _

"_He's going to take the princess and get some relic! He did not tell us a lot." She screeched once more as the stone crawled past her knees. "Please! Stop this! That's all I know, I swear! Make it stop!" she shouted desperately. _

_Vaati did not move to undo the spell. Instead he stood there and watched as she continued to beg for her life, the stone creeping up her body. Once her torso turned to stone, her heart stopped. Vaati must have been slowing the spell, because the moment she was dead, the rest of her quickly turned to stone. _

"_Eivie, come here." _

_My stomach lurched at the sound of my name. I came out from behind the wall but froze in place. _

"_Eivie, I said come here." _

_I hesitantly walked forward until I was standing beside him, avoiding looking at the recent addition to the statue collection. _

_He growled before forcing me to look at the statue. "Eivie, if I ever suspect that you are being disloyal I promise you a punishment far worse than this. I will be sure to destroy in the most painful manner possible. Do you understand, Eivie?"_

"_Yes," I whispered. "I will not betray you."_

* * *

><p>"Eivie? Is something wrong?"<p>

I felt myself being lightly shaken awake. Slowly, I opened my eyes to see Link kneeling beside me with a look of concern. It was nearing dawn and the sky was beginning to lighten. "I am fine," I mumbled.

"You were tossing around a bit and… I guess I would call the noises you were making whimpering. Were you having a nightmare or something?" He seemed genuinely concerned, as he always is. "You don't have to talk about it, but I just… want to make sure you're all right."

"It was just a memory I would rather forget. Do not worry about it. I will be fine in a moment." I sighed and rubbed my eyes, finding them damp. I had been crying it would seem. While awake it seems ridiculous that I would be crying at an event I had gotten over.

Of course now the threat Vaati had made had meaning. I _was _betraying him now. He _could _hurt me and anyone else he felt necessary. He knows my fears better than even I do. Once he finds out, I would suffer a fate far worse than being solidified. He would do everything in his power to traumatize me before I broke and begged for him to kill me. This was a far more dangerous game than I had even begun to consider. I needed a plan, but with Jahalla so close I needed to figure what to do about him first.

I stood up and brushed my clothes off. Link stared at me as I stomped over to the fire and kicked dirt onto it, eventually extinguishing the flames. "We are continuing on," I stated bluntly. Suddenly a familiar chill ran done my spine. "But first, I need to have a word with our guest."

"Guest?" Link asked nervously, glancing around. He took a quick step back when he saw a lantern floating nearby.

The old lantern that used to hang in my room was now lite with a green flame that waved back and forth with movements of the Poe holding it with its feet. It was similar to an Imp Poe, but also a creature all its own. It was shaded black, had glowing green eyes and wicked smile, as well as a short tattered cape. It rested a scythe decorated with a Stalchild skull on top of its shoulder.

"Gomess, I see you have finally arrived."

"Such a kind greeting from my monstrous human master. The _courageous _Hue did not mention how timely I needed to be. Excuse my behavior, oh-powerful mortal." His every word was sarcastic.

"Gomess?" Link reached for his sword. "But I thought he was dead?"

"As did I," I admitted. It was Hue that had mentioned the fact Gomess lived about a week ago. "It was only recently that I learned of his survival. Gomess, could you become visible for Link?" I could not help seeing how nervous Link appeared as he stared at the swaying lantern.

"If I must," Gomess grumbled. When Link took a half-step back I figured Gomess must have done as told.

"Explain how you managed to survive our battle." It was strange considering how sure I had been that I had killed him. I was also curious why he was now carrying the lantern that had been given to me by the Sisters. "I was sure that destroying that orb had had the same effect as crushing a normal Poe's lantern."

"It is no great secret, decaying mortal," Gomess chuckled. "Of all the questions you ask the one you have experienced. Such a strange creature you are, Eivie."

"Get to the point." I could see why Hue had seemed so annoyed when he had been trying to tell Gomess what to do. I could only imagine that is why it took so long for Gomess to show up; Hue had probably been telling Gomess to find me but being ignored. I also did not appreciate him calling me a decaying mortal. I only hoped he meant it as a joke and that I seriously was not decaying because of the Death Sword.

"It's simple: Poes are dead. We are wandering spirits without a physical body. Instead we are attached our souls to an object. Most often that is a lantern, but there are always exceptions. You destroyed the orb that I had formerly been attached to. The Death Sword had been attached to its weapon before it became a part of your flesh. If that object is broken, a more powerful, extremely desperate Poe may be able to switch to another object. This lantern had been near enough that I had been able to survive, but at the cost of some of my prowess." Gomess laughed a bit before adding, "I suspect this lantern was the alternate plan if your human body shall fail."

"So even if you break a Poe's lantern it may survive," Link concluded in disbelief. "I'm actually kind of thankful not all monsters can do that."

I nodded at Link's statement. Poes were strange indeed, which is why I needed all the information I could find before confronting Jahalla. "Then Jahalla's soul is attached to something as well? Gomess, do you know what it is?"

"Not a clue." Gomess shrugged. His smile widened when he saw how utterly shocked I was. "No one has figured that out. Jahalla carries both a lantern and a mask, making it less obvious which he is specifically attached to."

"But the Death Sword had nearly killed Jahalla!" I formed fists at my side. He had to be joking. "How is it even possible no one knows which it is? Do you expect me to believe this?"

"The Death Sword hacked and slashed whatever it could. Both the mask and lantern were in poor condition following the battle. Mortal, you will have to find out which it is on your own."

"I see." I sighed and looked at the ground. This is not what I wanted to hear. I knew battling Jahalla would be difficult, but aiming to destroy two things would complicate matters further. "Gomess, I have a request for you. I…"

Gomess interrupted with "Mortal, before I assist you, we need to discuss my _compensation_."

"What is it you wish for? Our kind does not bother with conventional riches after all."

"When Jahalla is gone, I would enjoy a high rank among your regime. Being a peon does not suit me, you see. I am sure the Death Sword with find this favorable as well, human Poe."

"You will have your place, although I will not guarantee the Death Sword will respect my word."

"A game of chance then. That is suitable enough, I suppose." Gomess chuckled. "What is it you need of me?"

"I would like you to find the Poe Sisters and lead them here. After that, I would like to briefly discuss how we plan to defeat Jahalla."

"Understood." Gomess began to float off towards the trees. "I shall return shortly with the Forest Keepers."

Once Gomess was out of sight I sat back down on the ground. Hopefully the Sisters would have more information about Jahalla, the Master Sword, and what to expect from the temple they guarded.

"You act differently when you are around them," Link commented as he sat down across from me.

"Monsters live by a different code of conduct. Power is respect and weakness is a liability. If I did not act differently there would be little chance that they would respect me."

"Yeah, but, honestly, it reminds me of how you were when we first met." His tone sounded almost sad.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I guess… sad? Lonely, maybe? It was just… you seemed so much happier before. I understand that things have been difficult but…" He gave a heavy sigh. "I just wish you knew that you could count on me to help you. I wish you wouldn't have run off."

"I wish I had not run away either," I whispered quietly. I would have continued to be attacked by Poes sent by Jahalla and have maintained a monster appearance, but the things Vaati put me through were not worth the supposed advantages.

"Can I ask something?" He waited for me to nod before continuing. "Why did you stay with Vaati?"

"He gave me no option to leave. I was high above even the clouds without a way down." I paused before deciding to admit to a bit more. "He also offered to use his magic to change my appearance back to normal, as well as helping me understand how to use my abilities better. He even promised to help separate the Death Sword from me. While he certainly is not very nice, he can be helpful occasionally."

"I still have trouble believing that he is 'helpful,'" Link grumbled.

I nodded to show I knew what he meant. Even I was confused by Vaati's actions.

After that it was quiet as we waited for Gomess to return with the Poe Sisters in tow. When I finally sensed them drawing near, I stood up and faced where they would arrive from. Gomess was in the lead, followed by Meg, Joelle, Amy, and Beth. Gomess still seemed in a good mood, but Meg and Joelle seemed to look particularly angry when they looked Link and my way.

"Why if it isn't the Hero of Time," Joelle immediately snapped, flying into Link's face.

"Eivie keeps poor company." Meg glared at Link as well. "Inviting that tool of the Goddesses will surely bring misfortune to us."

Amy bobbed up and down, agreeing with Meg. Beth joined Joelle and the two hovered uncomfortably close to Link.

"What are you two chattering about? Have you met Link before?" They did not treat just anyone with such contempt.

"A past incarnation. The brat almost killed us on his quest to defeat Ganon." Meg's words had a hint of bitter hatred attached. "It is displeasing that another copy exists."

"You do not expect us to drag him with, do you?" Joelle scowled, already knowing that I did.

"He will be coming with. But, Meg, what do you mean incarnation?" This was the first I had heard of such a thing. "You mentioned Ganon as well."

"Your sorcerer did not mention?" Joelle laughed when I shook my head. "You are really stupid, you know. The green one, the princess of light, and the king of darkness are all incarnations. We have seen them before, battled with the knight even. Some of the most ancient monsters have mentioned them being reincarnated several times over the centuries."

As I opened my mouth to spout out more questions Meg interrupted. "The older Poes have also mentioned an ancient demon guised as a Hylian mage. The sorcerer has been resurrected a few times himself. Hue could tell you more than I, if you can force him to talk that is."

"Hue?" I stared, enraged that he never mentioned knowing of Vaati's past, but also not surprised. He was never very truthful.

"That one's older than you could imagine. Of course, his avoidance of danger is why he still lives. Sad little coward." Joelle rolled her eyes.

"Hue is an odd Poe as well. We have never seen another similar to him. Some rumor that he was summoned by that demon is some sort of conjuring gone wrong." Meg added.

I growled, accidently summoning a jinx spell that's flames surrounded me briefly. Hue. That lying, conniving creature had known far more than possibly anyone else yet he cleverly neglected telling me a thing! He would pay for this. Vaati's threat of putting the damned ghost in a bottle seemed a very appealing punishment right now.

"That aside," I hissed, "What do I need to know about the temple? The quickest route to Jahalla, the amount of resistance on the way and during the battle, anything you can tell me beforehand will be helpful."

"The outside is not guarded, but the inside of the temple is filled with various Poes, ReDead, and even a few Gibdo. Because we are the keepers of the temple, we will be able to lead you almost directly to Jahalla. Your human will create the most trouble considering he cannot phase through walls, but we should be able to reach Jahalla with him. Jahalla keeps several Imp Poes and a few ReDead with him, although I suspect he will have a number more because he knows you will be coming." Meg paused and looked over her shoulder at Gomess. "A few more may join your cause based on their alliance to Death Sword. Otherwise it is my sisters and I, Gomess, yourself, and the _Hero_."

I nodded once, believing that information to be enough for now. "I am also to help Link locate the Master Sword. Do you know where it is?"

Joelle hissed. "Does he really need that thing?"

"Quiet," Meg snapped, knowing I was in no mood for interruptions. "It is behind the temple. There is a set of passages that lead there which you would be able to use after Jahalla is defeated."

"Before we leave I have one final question. Vaati informed me the Death Sword's weapon is being kept temple. I wish to know how Jahalla came to possess it and where it is."

"I have already explained of how our souls are bound to an object," Gomess told Meg.

The purple Poe looked relieved that she did not need to explain that subject. "After the Death Sword melded with the human, we brought the sword to Jahalla as a sign of our loyalty. Without your presence attached to the sword, Jahalla thought the Death Sword had been killed."

"Jahalla actually believed we had finished you off," Joelle cackled. "The fool, with all of his cowardice, wanted the Death Sword to be dead because he feared facing it again. Jahalla knows he stands no chance."

"Jahalla treats it as a trophy and has it displayed in the center of the temple where he spends most of his time. You shall have your weapon back soon enough."

"Link, we will be going now. Are you ready?" I turned to him, acknowledging he existed for the first time in a bit.

"Yeah, sure." He stared at me for a moment longer. "Do you… know anything about this reincarnation thing? I mean…" He sighed. "It's really weird to learn something like that."

"I do not," I lied. If Zelda, Ganondorf, and Link all were reincarnations and Zelda and Ganondorf held a piece of the Triforce, odds were Link did as well. Vaati had never mentioned who the last holder was, but it was obvious why. He knew I would outright refuse to help him because he would kill Link. I believed he could take the piece without harming Link, but he would not. Vaati hated Link too much to let him live, not to mention Link was the only threat to his power.

If it was not obvious before, I now knew that the only way I could protect my friends was to betray Vaati and help them defeat him. Even if he was the only one that could possibly save me from the Death Sword, Vaati needed to be defeated.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I was originally going to include the battle in this chapter, but I would rather have that be its own chapter. I also thought this as getting sort of long. Gomess is back! For some reason I liked him so I decided that I could use the lantern to bring him back and explain how I think Poes are attached to things. And that dang Hue, he always seems to be doing something. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing. Thank you to everything105, paula-fricking-polestar, and Shadow-Shinobi666 for favoriting and/or following!**

**Zetra-Shink- Thank you for reviewing again! It makes me happy that you like my writing and reading this story. I'm glad you liked Link giving her the necklace last chapter. The lantern from the first chapters has returned too now; I like including things from other chapters because they make nice details, I think. Once again, thank you for reviewing and I hope you continue to enjoy. **

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

We followed behind the Poes, Meg leading our group through the trees. The further we walked into the tangled branches of the woods, the more I could sense Poes. Their numbers were so concentrated in one area I figured that that had to be the temple. The only one I could sense as definitively different from the rest had to be Jahalla. If Gomess had caused my skin to crawl, Jahalla made my body want to shake and flee. I blocked out the feeling as best I could knowing that there was no way out of this battle. I was committed now.

If I had been bothered, Link was outright disturbed by the Poes; although, it was the ones leading him and not the ones in the distance. He twitched every time one of the Sisters looked over their shoulders at him. Of course, their glares were not very comforting.

Link happened to catch me looking at him. "I really don't like this." He quickly glanced at the Poes before continuing in a hushed tone, "Can we trust them? I mean, they could be taking us into an ambush or something."

I smiled when I thought about it. "Trust is not exactly the word I would use concerning them. They do what they please and will follow orders if they align with their own wills. While they are not very reliable, I believe they will take us where we need to be." I paused looking at both Meg and Gomess as they floated along. "Poes are self-serving. Right now they know how close the Death Sword is to retuning and would not dare to risk its wrath. Their continued existence hinges on Jahalla's defeat as well, seeing as how they have all been assisting me lately."

"I guess I'll have to trust your judgment then." He sighed in defeat. He had wanted a guarantee the Poes would not turn on us. "But, if they make one wrong move, I will kill them."

"Be sure to. No matter who, or what, it is, if it threatens you, kill it." I was determined. Now was the time to tell him. "No matter what happens in the battle with Jahalla, you need to get that sword. Promise that you will get that sword." It was a command rather than an option, my flat tone making it clear.

"I…" He stared at me for a moment, surprised that I commanded him to do something. "Why is it so important I get this sword?"

"Vaati seemed very reluctant for you to obtain the sword. He was outright _scared_ of it, so it must be able to defeat him. You…" I looked away and at the ground. It was ridiculous that I wanted to protect the demon still. "You need to kill him."

"What?" Link managed to say. "You… You want me to kill him? But you and him... You are_ friends_ with him. Why?" Even though he hated Vaati, he would still consider my feelings. It was no wonder the goddess' would choose him to wield an evil-banishing sword.

"He has something planned and I fear that he will be a greater threat to Hyrule than even Ganondorf. He is set on destruction. If you want to survive, if you want Zelda to survive, you need to kill Vaati. There is no other way at this point. Even if I do not want him dead, he needs to die to protect everyone else. I think he has attacked Hyrule before and been sealed away instead of killed. If the cycle is to be broken, he needs to die."

"I will get the sword, I promise that, but the rest…" he trailed off.

"I understand." I smiled weakly before adding, "He is a monster though, if that helps at all. He may resemble a human at times, but in truth he is a vicious monster bent on destruction and death. A monster with such intent should be killed before it causes harm."

"Eivie, you're not talking about Vaati anymore, are you?" He stepped in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders, causing me to stop walking. His blue eyes stared me done, waiting for me to speak, to explain. "Please tell me you aren't speaking about yourself."

"I am." I admitted. "During this battle it is likely that the Death Sword will take control of my body, perhaps even permanently. If not this battle, I assure you it will soon. My death is imminent no matter how hard I fight against it. This is why I want you to be prepared to fight and kill me. All of these Poes fear the Death Sword. Jahalla fears the Death Sword. They know that the Death Sword is powerful and dangerous. Even from the few moments I have seen it, I know that it needs to be killed before it destroys people's lives, like it had in Ordan. I just want you to know that, when it takes over, I want you to kill it because I will already be gone."

I jerked out of his grip and walked past him. We were close to the temple and I did not wish to debate with Link over the matter. I stood between Meg and Gomess at the front of the group, hoping that Link would be hesitant to come neat the phantoms.

When Link made up his mind to step past the Poes and to my side, we all found ourselves in a clearing created by a deep gorge with a bridge forged from an incredibly large root leading to a tree easily the size of Hyrule Castle. It was awe inspiring how absolutely gigantic the place was and how I had never even known of it. It was worse knowing how many Poes could cram themselves into such a phenomenal place.

Link immediately took a small step back and quieted whatever his next words would have been. I straightened my back and tried to appear calm. Also in front of us was a gathering of Poes: five Imps and about ten normal, hooded Poes, with a few ReDead scattered about the mix.

One of the Imps slowly dropped its scythe to the ground before coming forward, stopping uncomfortably close to my face. For a moment it stared at me, perhaps waiting for a reaction. Once it was finished examining me, it drifted back slightly before speaking.

"We wish to join the Death Sword in battle once more." It gave a small bow. When it looked back at me it had a sharp-toothed grin spread across its face. "Only the most foul and wicked among us are meant to lead."

"Well then," I laughed. The Death Sword decided speaking was no longer my task. "I will tear apart that coward while you, my lovely minions, kill everything that happens to get in the way. Know that this time Jahalla will not be surviving this battle." I pointed forward, the Imp Poe giving another bow before picking up its scythe and leading the others into the temple.

"Eivie?" Link's hand latched onto my shoulder, turning me around slowly.

_"I am not finished with you, human. When you near Jahalla, I _will _take over this body. Your resistance is futile now that I have regained much of my power. There is no more fighting against me. Enjoy your last moments because soon enough you will cease to exist at long last." _A voice echoed in my ears. That was when I knew I had a problem. The Death Sword was awake enough to speak to me and control me at will.

"Are you all right?" Link shook me slightly. "We can still leave. You don't have to go in there."

"I do. No matter how far away I could get, this conflict would find me and bring me back. Link, remember the sword. That is your main concern." I paused, looking back to the temple's entrance. Meg and Gomess had stopped to wait for us. "I will no longer be in control. Whatever words I speak from now on will likely not be my own. Even my actions will not be mine. Do not let me hurt you, even if that means that you need to harm me."

I quickly turned incorporeal and walked away from him, joining Meg and Gomess across the bridge and at the entrance. When I became visible again I unsheathed my sword, ready for the horde of Poes waiting to tear me apart inside of the temple. Link looked dejected for a moment before sighing and joining me.

"I trust you." He whispered. "And you can trust me. I won't let something bad happen to you, so please stop acting like you're dying."

I tipped my head in a halfhearted attempt to nod. I walked through the dark tunnel leading in without another word. I could hear Link as he followed behind me. The only light came from the Poes lanterns. We all stepped out into a mildly brighter room, though that fact was the opposite of comforting. The wood walls of the room were lined with hovering normal Poes and a few Imps. Several ReDead moaned as well, making their floor-bound locations known.

"I'll get the ReDead." Link stated as he charged past me, drawing his sword. "I can't see the rest!" he added.

With that reminder I stepped forward attracting the attention of four normal Poes and one of the Imp Poes. The rest of the ghosts were fighting against my own allies. Gomess, however, decided that he was not needed at the moment and chose to talk with Meg as she swung her lantern at four Poes surrounding her. It was then that she made four copies of herself; that was something I never knew she could do.

When the Poes were close enough to me I sent a bursting jinx spell that hit the five of them. Two of the regular phantoms screeched before speeding towards me, swinging their lanterns opposite directions so they could catch me in the middle. I sent another flame for one and knocked the others lantern away with my sword. A chill down my spine caused me to shift into a ghost briefly, narrowly avoiding the Imp that came from behind. I quickly spun on my heel, smashing my sword into another hooded Poe that decided to attack after the Imp. The Poe's lantern shattered and it hissed as it faded away.

The Imp attacked again, this time aiming to behead me with its wicked scythe. The other three Poes charged at me from all sides, trying to swiftly dispatch me. There was nowhere to run and no way I could block them all at once. With no other option I faded away and blindly ran forward. As I returned to normal, I unfortunately smacked right into a ReDead as it screeched. I froze in place, unable to move or even cast a jinx. It heard the ominous jingling of a lantern behind me.

The ReDead in front of me groaned and fell to the ground. Link had slashed the creature from behind and immediately went after another nearby before it had time to screech. A shriek behind me made me want to jump. There was a thump followed by a metallic clank as something hit the ground. By this time I was finally able to move and whip around I saw what had happened. The Imp had been beheaded before its lantern was cut in half. Gomess smirked before flying off to gracefully slash another Poe apart in one swing of his scythe. He had decided to help after all.

I turned back to the three Poes that remained. One of them was bold enough to charge forward with its lantern poised to attack. Without the chaos of multiple attackers the Poe had little chance. I ducked out of the way, which caused it spin in a circle to face me. By that time, my sword had already been raised. Its yellow eyes widened as my blade made contact with the lantern, causing it to shatter.

The two other Poes came flying at me, trying to use the same tactic of smashing me between them. I cast a jinx and disappeared into the bright blue flames. With the camouflage I became invisible and ran behind the Poes. While they looked around in bewilderment I swiftly broke their lanterns.

Once the other Poes were dealt with the room had gone nearly dark. A few of the Poes that had joined me had been killed, but others had joined when they saw they stood no chance against the Sisters, Gomess, the Death Sword's human, and a knight of Hyrule. Meg motioned for us to follow her through a heavy stone door with a red swirl painted across it. The Poes all wordlessly left with the purple Poe.

I tried to move the stone only to have it stay in place while my feet slide back. "Link, can you move this?" If he could not there would be a problem. I could easily pass through it as a ghost, but I did not want to leave Link behind.

"I can try." He stepped beside me and shoved against the stone. There was a grinding sound and the stone slowly began to slide out of the way. I joined in and attempted to help Link push the stone out of the way. When Link gave one last solid shove accompanied by a grunt, the door slide open completely. "I guess it's not used often and got stuck." He shook his head as he stepped through to the other side.

"Probably," I mumbled as we stepped into the next room. The stone rolled back into place suddenly, the noise causing me to flinch.

"Closes well enough," Link grumbled as he glanced at the door.

The room we entered had a door on each of its four walls. In the center of the room was an almost island like, raised area with four torches at each corner. Conveniently all of the doors, except the one we entered, were unreachable because gaps between the central raised area. There were no enemies this time oddly enough. Right when I was about to question what we were to do, Meg and her sisters went to each torch, lighting them with their lanterns.

The ground shook slightly as a wooden platform rose from the floor to form a bridge to the next door. The Poes began filing through the door once more, leaving Link and I to use the door. The heavy door resisted moving like the first but soon enough we were standing on the other side, squinting in the sudden onslaught of light.

We stood outside in the bright day sun. I covered my eyes, the brightness bothering them more than usual because of the sudden change. We were on the edge of the gorge, which apparently separated the temple into different areas. There was a wooden planked bridge swaying and creaking in the gusts of wind. I took a step towards the bridge only to stop when I noticed the Poes had stopped moving.

"What is it?" I growled, surprising myself. I knew I had been growing more and more aggravated the closer we came to Jahalla, but now it was obvious. "Why have you stopped? Is there a problem that I need to know of?"

Gomess flew closer before smiling obnoxiously. "The door to Jahalla is over there." He pointed across the gorge to another door that had no bridge leading to it. "Might be a problem for you and your knight, my mortal master."

"Any suggestions?" I smiled sarcastically. "Well, worms!? Do any of you half-witted fools have a suggestion?" I yelled before snapping my mouth closed. The Death Sword was impatient to slay Jahalla.

"We may be able to carry you across," Meg stated quietly.

"But the knight is going to be a bit more difficult." Joelle flew around him once. "He would be too heavy for two or three of us and having more than that try to carry him would be a task to coordinate."

"And going around would be ill-advised," an Imp Poe added. "Jahalla has many ReDead in those rooms because he thought the human would not be able to cross here."

"Eivie?" Link glanced around, wondering what the Poes were saying.

I pointed across the abyss of a gorge at the door. "We need to get over there."

Link's eyes went wide as he saw the door and the gorge between. "Oh," was his response to that. His eyes darted around as he looked for a way to the door. "We won't be leaving this way, right? Ask them if we can reach the Master Sword without this bridge."

I raised my eyebrow at the question, wondering what he had in mind. "You heard him. Will we need this bridge later?"

"No." Joelle said flatly.

"Tell them to cut it down and take the ropes off. We can attach it to the tree over there." He pointed to the trunk the door was carved into. "Then I can climb across."

"You want to climb across on a rope?" I looked down the gorge almost sickened by how high up we were. "Are you sure?"

"This will work, Eivie. I know I can do it, but what about you?"

I almost wanted to say yes to crawling across just so he did not do it alone, but it was risky. Gomess and Meg grabbed my arms and lifted me up before giving me a chance to decide. "They can carry me over." I mumbled as I gave a quick glare to each ghost. Link looked almost relieved. "Listen to what he says and know that you will die if he does." I ordered as Meg and Gomess begun rising.

It was nerve-wracking to be flown over the open gorge by two spindly ghosts. The entire time I looked down at the ground, which was really far down. Honestly I felt safer when Vaati flew me around simply because he could use the wind to catch me if I somehow got dropped. There was nothing safe about two ghosts dangling me over a gorge. When my feet touched the ground on the other side I immediately looked over to Link, catching sight of an Imp before it cut down one side of the bridge.

The wood planks crashed into the side of the gorge with a horrendous noise. Another Poe cut the ties holding the planks together. A few of the Poes flew over to my side and tied the plank-less rope to a branch that Link specified. Link pulled on the rope a few times before nodding.

He checked his sword, making sure it would not fall. "I'm coming across," he yelled just before he jumped and grabbed onto the rope. He pulled himself up, swinging his legs and wrapping them around the rope. He slowly shimmied closer, looking determined rather than afraid. It was amazing how he did not look horrified as he hung above the deep gorge by only a rope. A rope that had been out in the elements for who knows how long. Anything could go wrong: the rope could break, the wind could suddenly pick up, or some Poes may attack. If Link fell…

I bit my lip nervously as I waited for him. The moment his feet touched the ground safely I could not help myself. I ran up to him and hugged him, nearly crying. It was now that my indifferent attitude dissolved, revealing just how anxious I was about everything. My emotions from the entire day came bursting out at once.

"I'm okay," Link whispered, lightly patting my back. "It'll be all right. I won't let anything happen to either of us, okay? You don't need to be so nervous."

I smiled a bit, hoping that everything would be all right.

_"Let go of the human and get back to walking before I make you,"_ it growled, causing me to freeze. _"Should you keep being distracted by this human I will kill him while you are still aware of yourself."_

I nearly shoved Link away as I stumbled back a few steps. His scrunched eyebrows and his slightly open mouth showed how confused, perhaps even offended, he was with me suddenly pulling away.

"I'm…" I began to apologize only to be interrupted.

_"Quit with the pathetic emotions and continue walking!"_ It roared, actually making me grab my head. It sounded like it was beside me rather in my mind.

I held up my hand when Link took a step closer to see why I was holding my head. "We need to keep moving." I gave a fake smile in a horrible attempt to convey that I was all right.

Link hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. He walked past me and opened the door to the next hollowed tree. The Poes filed past and flew through the walls. Only Gomess stayed behind, staring at me curiously.

"Having some difficulties, human?" He smirked.

"Quiet." I walked past him as he chuckled at my response.

The room I entered was equally grand in size as the others, but also had a large chasm in the center. There was only a relatively small area to stand. A few ReDeads stood around, but, more troublesome was the gathering of mummy-like Gibdos with them. Several Imp Poes hovered over the chasm. In the center of the room there was an odd light pink, one eyed, bow-wearing ghost. A key seemed to be dangling around its neck as well.

"Do you think your absence was unnoticed?" The pink Poe giggled. "Meg and her sisters have failed once again but this time you will die. And Gomess too? I thought Gomess liked the victors yet he hangs around these fools? How sad indeed."

"Gina," I heard Joelle hiss quietly beside me. "Always annoying."

"Is that a human with you? The Death Sword has a human body and a human pet?" The pink Poe burst into a fit of obnoxious laughter. "Oh how the mediocre have fallen to being absolute trash. I don't think you're worth my time, but…" the ghost faded from sight, "I will kill you anyways. Death is always fun."

I looked around, actually baffled to where the pink phantom went. Lately I had been able to see them even when they were invisible if I wanted, so why was this one not visible? It was certainly odd looking, though.

"Watch your knight. Ghini's steal life forces." Meg warned me before splitting into copies to attack the Imps.

A giggle behind me made me spin around. I slashed my sword through the air, aiming for a pink blur that had just appeared. Nothing happened. The blade went right through the pink ghost. I took a step back when it stuck its tongue out, not knowing what it was doing. Then it faded away once more.

Suddenly I found myself on the ground spitting out dirt. I scrambled to my feet when I noticed just how close to the edge I was. Another giggle made me turn around and see the Ghini as it faded from sight again.

Out of nowhere several pink Ghini surrounded me, all laughing and sticking their tongues out.

_"Copies. Destroy the original." _The Death Sword decided to offer.

I nodded to myself once, lifting my sword up and preparing to swing at the nearest Ghini. I picked the wrong one, my sword passing through the illusion. As I turned to strike a different target, I felt a bizarre tingling feeling accompanied by a growing, searing pain.

_"Move!"_ The Death Sword commanded, actually causing my legs to twitch as it tried to move me itself._ "Idiot, fade away. It's eating us both!"_

I haphazardly ran forward, turning into a ghost as I did so. I whipped around when the odd sensation stopped, just in time to witness the pink Ghini glowing slightly before I lost sight of it. I looked around for the Ghini and Link. When I spotted the familiar green tunic I ran towards him, hoping he could hear me over the wails and grunts of the Gibdos and ReDead he was fighting.

"Link," I shouted as I stabbed a ReDead in front of me. "I need your help with something."

"I'm listening," he yelled back.

"The pink ghost. It will attack one of us and the other should kill it while it's distracted." I glanced around quickly, hoping the Ghini did not hear and then counter my plan.

Link nodded as he cut into another of the linen-wrapped undead. I stayed close by, fending off whatever got too close to me as I waited for the pink phantom to attack again.

I shrieked when one of the blasted copies flew right through my face. As I stumbled back a step and tried to breath, I noticed more Ghinis flying at me. I swung my sword around hoping that, by pure chance, I would hit the real Ghini. The Ghini swarmed around me in a confusing mass of moving blobs to the point that it was near impossible to concentrate on a single target.

The searing pain returned, skipping the tingling stage completely. I could not see where the soul sucking Ghini was in the jumbled blurs spinning around me.

"Link!?" I began to panic when I noticed that I could not even see him through the mass.

"I can't see it!" He yelled back.

My heart skipped. _If I could not see the damn thing why would Link be able to?_ I cursed my own stupidity. There was too much noise and movement to think properly. The sounds of the laughing copies were outright insufferable. The constant blurs of ghosts as they flew around was making me nauseous. The pain of the Ghini devouring my soul felt like it was burning every part of my body.

I growled and made a completely inhuman screech. Blue flames fanned out around me, dispelling the illusions and hopefully hitting the original. The pain miraculously stopped. I heard Link yell, causing me to turn his direction. I saw the pink Ghini's eye go wide as Link's sword sliced through it. The silver key it had been wearing fell to the ground with a clatter. Link snatched up the key from the floor and quickly shoved it into his bag before returning to fighting.

With the Ghini gone, the battle ended rather swiftly. The remaining Gibdos were slashed apart by Link and I, Gomess lazily helping near the end. The Imp Poes were defeated by the Sisters and the other Poes that had joined the group. A few were lost and this time not replaced by more. These Poes seemed to be more loyal to Jahalla than the previous ones. Once the enemies were dispatched, we were left to find a way across the bridgeless gorge. Link seemed oddly adapt at this sort of problem solving.

"I think that if we got the rope and brought it in here I could use that branch." He pointed again to a branch overhanging the chasm. "Then I could just swing across. It should be fairly easy actually."

"Okay." I snapped my fingers at Meg and Beth. "Help him bring the rope inside."

The two got a disgusted face but nodded in agreement nonetheless. The two followed after Link as he slide the stone door open once more.

"Imp," I directed at the one that had served as a spokesman earlier. I pointed across the gorge at the door on the other side. "Is there a key nearby for that door?" There were heavy chains held in place by a large lock that blocked the door that presumably lead to Jahalla. I could feel that creature's power concentrated somewhere on the other side.

"Yes." The Poe flew over to a vine covered area. With a swing of its scythe it revealed a hidden compartment and chest. "I had stashed it here before you had arrived, just in case I decided to help the Death Sword." It opened the chest and retrieved a red jeweled, black metal key. "Jahalla only checked if the chest was locked up; not if the right key was in it." The Imp showed a sharp toothed smile.

I actually smiled back at the creature. It just seemed so ridiculously prideful that it hid the key away. I held out my hand and the Imp handed over the key. The door grinded open, marking Link's return. He kept the door from closing as Meg and Beth dragged in the rope.

"Okay, take the rope and tie it up there," Link ordered the Poes.

Meg and Beth had an absolutely disgusted look on their face. They despised following his orders more than they hated following mine. I giggled under my breath at the reluctant Poes as they tied the rope to the overhanging branch. Meg then flew over to me, Gomess trailing behind her as well. The two lifted me up and carried me across. It was worse this time because the gorge was a bottomless pit obscured in darkness. Not knowing what was at the bottom was somewhat more terrifying.

They rudely dropped me on the ground on the other side. I watched nervously as Link took a few steps back and ran forward with the rope in hand. He launched himself off the side and swung on the rope. Luckily he had enough momentum that he made it to the other side in one swing. He let go of the rope, landing roughly in front of the door and next to me.

"Hope we don't have to go out that way because I do not want to do that again. How did I think _that_ was a good idea?" Link looked over the gorge and laughed in disbelief before turning to me. "So, what now?"

I held up the key for him to see. Then I went to the door and put the key into the lock. I slowly turned the key, the tumblers moving sluggishly into place. The door was the only barrier between Jahalla and me. This was it. It was finally time to deal with the Poe King. It was time to see if the Death Sword would take over my body completely or if I could somehow overpower it.

The lock and chains fell to the ground.

There was no going back from this.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I decided to stop here because the chapter was getting really long. I ****promise**** that the next chapter the battle with Jahalla shall finally happen. The Death Sword is talking with Eivie now. Link found a mysterious key. Yep. I hope the battles were interesting enough. I'm still not sure how to write battles, so hopefully it's decent. I used the Twilight Princess Forest Temple and tried to describe it. Gina the Ghini is from The Minish Cap. I hope you all enjoyed. I hate to be the one begging for reviews, but I am sort of losing motivation and your thoughts would quite lovely. **

**Thank you all for reading! Thank you to motherdark for favoriting and following, and Zetra Shink for reviewing. **

**Zetra Shink- Thank you for reviewing again! I love past details. When I came up with this story idea I never knew how fun foreshadowing was. It also makes me think ahead. I think this chapter is my longest or second longest, so hopefully it has a bit more reviewing-material and action. Thanks again!**

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Poes all flooded through the wall into the other room when the lock hit the ground. Link went to the door and moved the heavy stone out of the way. I stepped into the room, Link following close behind. The door closed behind us, a metal gate slamming down as well.

The room was magnificent. The back wall had waterfalls flowing down them, the water falling into a large pool that covered much of the room except for a small portion where we stood. The water was a putrid purple, the air in the room acrid and suffocating. In the very center of the room there was a tree trunk that went from the poison lake to the ceiling. And, on that pillar-like tree, was _its _sword. The red engraved, black bladed sword for which the creature was named was hanging as a trophy of its supposed defeat. I held back a growl as I stared at my… its weapon.

On the ground in front of us was a grouping of undead creatures, this time including two Stalfos. Hovering above the toxic lake was an assortment of Poes, but there was one that drew all attention. The ghost was three times the height of Link. It had a protruding stomach that stuck out from under the red vest it wore. The lantern it held in one hand was large enough that I could stand inside of it. The pig-like mask it wore was partially broken, revealing a glowering gold eye.

No side made a move. We simply stared at each other. Jahalla's one visible eye revealed no emotion, but my face twisted into an emotion that certainly was not my own. The corner of my mouth pulled up to form a wicked, crooked grin. A single unamused laugh escaped before I tilted my head at the Poe King.

"No words for me, Jahalla? I thought you would just be _dying_ to yell empty threats at me before I tear you apart." I paused when I saw the giant Poe's eye twitch. "Too scared to even speak?"

"Death Sword," the large Poe boomed, "do you think, in that mortal body, you are any threat to me? Without your weapon and former power you will be easily squashed. Disloyal servants are to be distinguished. And, then, I shall be rid of you, desert Poe, at long last. Your arrogance and absurdity shall be your undoing."

"Absurd? You call me the fool while you believed I was dead for YEARS.? And then you do not confront me yourself, but send inane?. underlings to kill me instead? Even in this form and without my sword I am still far more powerful than you, coward."

"Let us test that by ceasing to fight with words." The aggravated pig-masked Poe growled and swung its lantern.

"This farce will be over soon enough." I pointed my sword at the ghost. "I _will _have what is mine."

In that moment the room became chaos. The majority of Poes fought in the air, their lanterns and scythes clashing together in a continuous clamor. The ReDead and Gibdo screamed as they slowly made their way towards Link and I. The two Stalfos' bones and armor clattered as they ran towards Link. Gomess stuck near me, killing anything that would distract me from Jahalla. The King himself hovered above the poison lake, well out of my reach.

The giant Poe swung his lantern, a storm of fire raining down onto the ground. Anything unlucky enough to be under the fireballs were set aflame. I managed to dodge the fire by going in and out of my ghost-like form. Jahalla laughed as I danced around his attack with no counter of my own. I had no idea how to fight such a large, flying monster. The Death Sword offered no insights either.

I tried a jinx spell, deciding that it was the only thing that may hit the hovering ghost. The blue flames made contact with his body, but that was the extent. He simply glanced at where the fire had struck him. Then he let out a booming laugh.

"Your power seems to have diminished greatly, Death Sword." he mocked as he brought back his lantern to create another firestorm.

I grit my teeth, the comment upsetting the Death Sword's ego and causing the creature's emotions to overtake my own. As the fire began raining down again, I avoided being burnt to ash. As I stepped out of the way of a burst of flames I noticed a shadow above me. My stomach dropped when I looked up. Jahalla was speeding towards me with every intent to crush me beneath him.

Link tackled me, sending us both rolling out of Jahalla's way as he slammed into the ground. As soon as we regained our bearings through a cloud of dust, Link glanced at me, looking as though he were about to speak. A Stalfos interrupted when it jumped through the dust, sword poised to attack. Link held his shield up to block the attack before stumbling to his feet and bashing the creature with the shield. The Stalfos stumbled back. Link charged forward to attack the skeleton, leaving me to deal with my opponent.

I shakily stood back up, my knee scraped, bruised, and bleeding. There was no time to worry about that injury though; I could not waste my opportunity. Jahalla was still picking himself off of the ground, his lantern resting only a few feet away from me. I dashed towards him, my sword ready. Once in range, I swung my sword with all of the strength I could muster. A splitting screech rang out as the blade scraped across the metal lantern.

The lantern's surface was barely scratched. In fact, my sword seemed more damaged than the lantern. Jahalla seemed not to notice or care that I had landed a hit. Instead he rose to his feet before rising back into the air and out of reach. Either my attack had proved so superficial ad pathetic that ghost pain no mind, or… Or the lantern was not what his soul was attached to. If he were such a coward and so fearful of the Death Sword, surely if I got near what his soul was attached he would show some reaction. It had to be the mask. It had to be or else my sword would be broken long before the lantern was destroyed.

I looked around, hoping to find something to perhaps help me reach the mask. I only saw the battles going on around me. The other Poes swarmed above, using scythes and lanterns to destroy each other. Link had defeated one of the Stalfos and was fighting the other, as well as any ReDead or Gibdo that got too close. Gomess was hacking apart any monster that dared try to interfere with Jahalla and I's battle.

The loud clanks of Jahalla's lantern being moved about caught my attention once more. The large ghost brought its lantern to its face. Then he blew into the lantern, the flames growing larger. The fire was carried by his breathe and sent fanning over the entire area. The ReDead and Gibdo screaming as they burned. I could not move as I stared at the wall of fire about to engulf me. When I came to my senses and tried to run a ReDead grabbed my ankle. I fell, the flames already licking my legs. Being burned was the most painful injury to afflict me yet. The skin the fire burned seared with pain, some areas blistering. The fire held so much of my attention I could barely hear my own screams.

Something scooped me off of the ground, struggling to hold me by the waist until we were just above the flames' reach. As I looked down I noticed the familiar black tattered cape of Gomess.

"A life for a life, human," The ghost muttered as he shifted my weight to keep hold of me. "My debt to you is repaid."

I stared wordlessly at the fire. Gomess had been listening me simply because he survived our battle. Even though I had not purposely done so, I was thankful the creature decided he was indebted to me for that accident. _Such a strange creature_.

The flames died down when Jahalla stopped blowing into the lantern. Gomess dropped me on scorched ground. All around there were blackened bodies of the ReDead and Gibdo that were caught in their master's attack. I panicked when I did not see Link right away. It was chance that I noticed him in an open archway next to one of the waterfalls, Meg and Joelle floating beside him.

My breathing was labored because of the pain of my injuries and the smoke. The burns across my legs stung as the foul air in the room hit them. Any movement hurt, but I had to force myself to turn around to face Jahalla. The Poe King hovered above the water, his gold eyes narrowed and focused on me. The ghost was probably smirking behind his mask.

Jahalla suddenly floated in the air before plunging downwards. He slammed into the poison lake's surface, a giant wave forming from the impact. The water crashed onto the ground and flooded the area within a blink of the eye. I was caught in the wave and pulled down as the water smashed into the wall and rushed back towards the pool.

The burns were immersed in the poisonous liquid and felt as though I was on fire all over again. The rest of my skin tingled before the sensation changed to stinging to pain. I tried not to breathe it in, but my effort failed. My lungs filled with the water and immediately ached and burned. I helplessly kicked and moved my arms. I had no idea how to swim.

My head was suddenly above the water. I gasped for breath only to end up with more water in my mouth. The toxic lake was still wrought with the disturbance of Jahalla's slam. I reached my hand up in a last attempt to grab something to save me.

By some miracle someone grabbed my hand and pulled me towards them. They wrapped their arm around my waist and began swimming. My eyes were too blurry to see on account of the poisonous water that had been splashed into them. But, despite not seeing, there was only one person that would be swimming through the water. Link had saved me even though he had to jump into the water as well.

The moment Link dragged me onto land I began coughing out water in between pained whimpers. The air caused pain nearly everywhere. The burnt skin on my legs seared and burned because of the toxic water as well as the air. Every breath caused my lungs to feel as though they were on fire. My vision was still blurred, perhaps because of the pain and not solely the putrid water.

"Eivie? Eivie?" Link was crouched down next to me, gently rubbing my back in attempt to comfort. "Eivie, can you hear me? Can I help somehow? Eivie, talk to me, please." He of course sounded panicked.

I fell into a coughing fit the moment I tried to speak. I tried to stand up, knowing that Jahalla was going to attack again. The ghost would not wait around. Link caught on and attempted to help me to my feet, but my legs gave out, causing me to fall against him. He held me up for a second before trying to coax me to sit back down.

"Link," I finally managed to whisper in a raspy voice. "Jahalla. Leave me. Go." I began coughing again, but, this time, I noticed blood mixed with the water and spit. I was also beginning to feel faint; I would not be awake, possibly even alive, for much longer.

"I'm not going to leave you, Eivie." He gently sat me on the ground before brushing some of my hair out of my face. "I won't leave you. I can fight him, so don't worry. You're not alone in this fight. Let me help you. Let me protect you." His hand found mine and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Link…" When words failed me, I just smiled slightly, my hand still in his. I did not deserve him. I honestly did not deserve his kindness, his sincerity. He deserved so much more than a monster. A few tears fell down my face, further blurring my vision.

The sound of Jahalla's lantern shattered the moment and returned us the situation at hand. I squinted in attempt to see what the ghost was doing, but I could not concentrate. Every part of my body burned, the pain becoming completely unbearable. My head was beginning to throb as well. Link gave me one last, fleeting look before he stood to face Jahalla. He walked forward, sword prepared to kill the Poe King.

"How disgustingly sweet," _it_ mocked.

"No," I whimpered grabbing my head as pain split through it.

"I will not let that human steal my kill." The Death Sword began laughing. "With how injured you are there will be no holding me back, girl. This will be my body to control and you will die finally. No need to worry, you won't have a clue when I tear your precious friend apart."

"I will not let you take control." I curled up on the ground, clutching my head. The edges of my vision were growing dark. I coughed as I tried to force air into and out of my lungs.

"Oh? I don't think you have the ability to hold me back any longer."

I screamed, pain rippling through my entire body. My head felt like it had been split down the middle. And, instead of seeing the surroundings, I saw am inhuman face emerging from the darkness. It had curved horns and a monstrous face with wicked teeth warped into a vile smirk. Its yellow eyes gleaming with viciousness.

Then everything went black.

* * *

><p>Link walked ahead, ready to face the fearsome Jahalla in place of Eivie. He held his sword tightly as he studied the large creature, trying to guess what its weakness was. He had seen Eivie attack the lantern, but the thing hardly looked damaged. He could try slashing the body and hoping it would not simply go through the ghost, or he could try for the mask. Knowing there was no way to reach the ghost as he floated above the poison lake, Link waited for the Poe to make a move.<p>

Suddenly he heard Eivie scream in apparent agony, which caused him to spin on his heel. He expected to see something attacking her, but… But what he saw made his eyes go wide with fear and worry. Whatever he was looking at could not be his friend. No, no it could not be Eivie. There was no way she could be this creature he was staring fearfully at.

The entire room went still at the sight and silent at the maniacal cackling. Hovering above the ground in a shroud of black smoke was a corpse-like creature with curved horns. It still resembled Eivie in ways: its size, the clothing, the necklace, hair, and voice. It was the demeanor more than anything that revealed something else was present and using her form.

"Jahalla, we will not be fooling around anymore. It is high time I destroyed you, cowardly King." The monster gave a crooked smile before tilting its head to the side. "I will be taking my sword back as well." The Death Sword reached its hand out. The black sword's engravings glowed brilliant red before ripping itself off the wall and flying into the creature's outstretched hand.

Link took a hesitant step towards his friend only to have a giant blue flame smash into the ground in front of him.

"Do not interfere, human. I will dispatch you as well in a moment."

Link froze in place, knowing that this was no longer Eivie. The Death Sword had taken control of her. He stared for a second longer, the creature glaring at him as well. Then he backed away in defeat. There was nothing he could do right now; he needed to come with a plan. Hopefully Jahalla would not hurt her before then.

Jahalla did not waste time in launching a series of fireballs at the monster possessed Eivie. Despite all his attempts to reign in his panic at his foe's control of the body, his eyes were wide and his body fidgeting. He should have not underestimated the human's sturdiness and should have killed it right away instead of playing with it.

The Death Sword effortlessly dodged the attacks, flying agilely around the room. It continued laughing hysterically, glad to have full control of the defiant human for the first time in years. It swung its sword, flinging one of Jahalla's flames back at it. The pig squealed as he narrowly avoided being blasted in the head.

"Protecting your mask, are you?" she taunted. "Something precious about it, perhaps?" With Jahalla's lack of response, she added in a dead, flat tone, "I will burn it to ash and keep it as a trophy."

The Death Sword and Jahalla then began to fly around the room, neither making hits. During this time, one Poe was bold enough to move about the room. Link twitched when the black caped Poe, Gomess, suddenly appeared at his side. Not knowing what to expect, Link gripped his sword tighter, prepared to be attacked.

"You could leave, knight," the Poe began, a crazed smile beginning to form. "The human you knew is gone and has been replaced by the creature you see before you now."

"No, I refuse to believe that," Link stated without pause. Even when he saw the crazed sprit whirling around the room, growling and cackling as it swung its sword at Jahalla, he did not want to believe that Eivie was gone. She could not be dead. She would not let the Death Sword win.

"Stubborn, I see." Gomess scoffed once as he looked at the possessed Eivie. "A terrifying being, would you not agree? The Death Sword's return is not a pleasant sight, even to us Poes. The creature is quite rash and kills without much thought, be it human or monster. It is not a particularly favorable leader."

"What are you getting at?" Link pulled his attention away from the battle long enough to look the Poe in the eyes. Had it come to chat with him about the Death Sword for a reason?

"Nothing, really. Just that its death would be beneficial to us both. Merely a suggestion I believe you should consider, for I have no great hatred for your kind. Unlike that deranged beast."

"But… you have been helping Eivie, so why would you want to kill the Death Sword? Did you not want it to return like the others?"

"If it lives it lives," the ghost shrugged. "If not, well, then, I will have a bit more power considering my standing among my fellow monsters. It would be best for you to consider killing it before it has a chance to regain its original form. Eivie is gone regrettably. She was interesting, to say the least."

Link stared at the dark Poe questioningly. Had Gomess honestly come over just to tell Link he should kill the Death Sword, thereby letting Gomess take power? A monster asking a human for help in securing power. How odd. Eivie kept stranger company than he had thought.

A sudden glow ended the knight's and phantom's conversation. Jahalla sent a wall of flames over the battlefield once more. Gomess speedily flew into the air, grabbing Link by the back of his tunic and dangling him just out of the fire's reach. The Death Sword breezed by, the fire having utterly failed to damage the agile monster.

Gomess returned to the archway next the waterfalls and unceremoniously dropped Link onto the ground. The other Poes had gathered in the same place in attempt to avoid being collateral damage in the Death Sword's and Jahalla's battle. The earlier attack that killed the ReDead and Gibdo showed how little respect Jahalla had for his underlings. Link imagined the Death Sword was just as uncaring in that regard. They were both monsters after all; they were selfish and killed whatever they wanted.

As the flames began to die, the Death Sword commenced its own onslaught against Jahalla. The large Poe was breathing heavily from wasting its air on the flaming attack, and seemed to be unable to move at the moment. The Death Sword went straight for the mask, not bothering to mess around with weakening him first. Jahalla had been expecting such an attack. As the Death Sword swung its large blade downward, the Poe King swung his lantern in front of him, summoning fireballs right in front of the Death Sword.

Link nearly covered his ears when he heard the Death Sword's pained screech as it collided with the fire. It was much worse considering that it still had a hint of Eivie's voice mixed in with the inhuman noise. The Death Sword slammed into the ground and rolled, its sword left near the edge of the toxic water. Once it came to a stop, the Death Sword struggled to stand. Eivie's body had been in poor condition to begin with, but, now, her arms were badly burnt, most of her skin that was unburnt was discolored from the toxic water, her clothes and hair was singed at the edges. The Death Sword let out an ear-shattering roar before it rose back into the air, ignoring its wounds completely.

Jahalla sped for the Death Sword before it could recover its weapon. He planned on squashing her into the wall, which would certainly break ever bone in her body, thusly killing her. Link twitched, ready to jump down and try to protect Eivie, but he knew he could not reach her in time. The Death Sword held up its arm, looking as though it would cast a jinx, or perhaps even a last effort to block Jahalla from crushing her.

No one expected it. In a fraction of a second, Death Sword's blade flew through the air and smashed into Jahalla head. The creature let out a deafening wail as it crashed into the ground, its mask breaking to pieces. The Death Sword lowered itself to face the dying Poe King. She said nothing as the cowardly Poe screamed and tried to catch the broken pieces of his mask.

The Death Sword held out its hand once more, its weapon retuning to it. While it kept a blank face, its lips would twitch as if trying to form a malicious smile at its dying enemy. "And here you fall, Jahalla, as you cower and scream without dignity. You were not meant to lead us, but only I seemed bold enough to cross you. And, now, you will die a sad, pathetic death with no hopes of return."

It swung its sword, the blade smashing the remaining bits of mask covering Jahalla's face. The great Poe gave a final cry as it faded into nothingness. No one dared make a sound as the Death Sword stood staring at the ground where Jahalla had formerly stood. At first it was quiet, but then it became more and more noticeable. The Death Sword was laughing hysterically and gleefully, eventually beginning to smash its sword into the ground as if it was killing Jahalla over and over again. The other Poes watched cautiously as the Death Sword celebrated, understanding that that thing was their new master. Gomess and the Sisters seemed to be the only ones unfazed by the Death Sword's erratic behavior.

Link looked on as the Death Sword willed Eivie's body to swing the sword into the ground. With all of the wounds Eivie had suffered, such needless movements were unfounded and needed to be stopped. But he was hesitant, of course, because he could see the insanity in the monster controlling his friend. He would not let Gomess be right, though. Link would never believe that Eivie was gone.

Link took a few steps back, preparing to jump back into the poisonous water and then swim to shore. A tug on the back of his collar made him flinch before he jerked his head to look over his shoulder. It was Gomess. Link stared at the creature, perplexed why the monster kept helping him. The Poe did not even seem this helpful when it came to Eivie, so why did it keep carting him around the room?

Gomess did not move right away, instead studying Link's expression. "You could still destroy it while it's not paying attention," the Poe explained. "This will likely be your last chance to do so without a troublesome battle."

"No," Link stated without pause. "I am going to try talking to her."

Gomess shrugged before picking Link off of the ground. "It will be your death, human."

The phantom carried Link down without another word. Once Link's feet were firmly planted on the ground Gomess retreated back to where the other Poes were. The Death Sword's laughter had become an occasional chuckle, its sword now planted in the ground. It did not notice as Link slowly walked forward.

"Eivie?" Link called warily.

The Death Sword went silent the second before it slowly turned its head in Link's direction. "Now, time to deal with you, human," it muttered while it lifted its sword up. "You are particularly dull if you believe that girl to still be living. I had to crush her personality in order to take this body; there is no way such a pathetic, whining, worthless human could survive such a thing. I only lost control to her before because of my injuries from battling Jahalla. But, now, I have almost returned. When I regain my original form, this little human's body will not even survive."

Link ignored the Death Sword's words, praying by some miracle the beast was wrong. "Eivie, can you hear me? You need to fight against it. I know you can."

"Foolish boy!" The Death Sword screamed, a blaze of blue fire surrounding it briefly. "The human is gone! Is it that hard for your miniscule brain to comprehend!?"

Link narrowly avoided a fireball the monster flung his way. "Eivie, you're not a monster! I know you can fight it!" he called again.

"Infuriating human," the Death Sword growled through its gritted, pointed teeth. "Your very existence has become irritating beyond tolerance. I shall spatter your blood across this room and use your bones as décor, boy." It raised its sword and rose into the air slightly. "It is time you learned your standing among us, human."

Link did not have time to say more in attempt to bring Eivie back. The Death Sword sped towards him and easily covered the distance between them in mere seconds. Without pause it swung it blade down, aiming to slash Link in half in one hit. Link had brought his shield up in the nick of time, causing the sword to be defected with a single, horrendous clash.

With an irate screech the Death Sword raised its sword again before slamming it back onto the shield. Link's feet dug into the ground, his arm in pain from such a strong blow, and his ears ringing from the metallic shriek of the sword meeting the shield. He quickly ran to the side when the Death Sword raised its sword again.

Link was hit from behind by a plume of blue fire. He turned on his heel, raising his shield to meet what was likely another oncoming attack. He could not use his sword now, but he refused to hurt Eivie anyways. The Death Sword struck the shield again, this time causing a sizable dent that would greatly weaken the shield. Link did not run, rather he remained standing in front of the monster with his shield raised. He would not give up.

The Death Sword smirked as it swung its sword down once more, prepared to deliver the final hit. "Eivie!" Link yelled one last time as he closed his eyes.

He stood there for a moment, unsure what happened. Slowly he opened his eyes to see if and why he was still alive. In front of him, the Death Sword stopped mid-attack and had one hand clutching the side of its head.

"How?" It growled. "How are you?" It dropped its sword to the side to hold the other side of its head. It trembled slightly before it fell to the ground on its hands and knees, all the while still growling.

Link took a hesitant step forward, his hand held out as if to offer aid to the fallen monster, or, perhaps, his friend. It still did not look very human: the horns and corpse-like appearance remained. He was still hoping it was Eivie though. He walked forward until he was right in front of her.

It glanced up, still growling and resumed holding the side of its head. It let out a sudden, ripping scream before it fell to the ground completely. Link dropped to his knees next to the body, panic-stricken with the thought it and Eivie had just died. It drew in shallow, barely noticeable breaths. He leaned down further when he saw its lips moving.

"Link," she whispered in a raspy, quiet voice.

"Eivie!?" Link yelled in surprise and joy. "Don't move, okay?" he said when she tried to move. She was far too injured to try moving about on her own. When he heard her sniffling and saw her body jerking shakily, he brushed hair out of the way, knowing she was sobbing. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here and I will take care of you. I won't let anything bad happen; not anymore." He rested his hand on the side of her face, trying to take her focus away from what were intensely painful injuries.

She managed to place her hand on top of his and squeeze it slightly. She gave a small smile through the pain before her body went limp. She passed out, but this time the Death Sword did not retake control. Link stared at her for a moment as he tried to decide what to do.

He cringed when he heard a Poe's lantern jingle behind him. "We are to take you to the Master Sword," Gomess stated. "Are we not, Meg?" he asked the purple Poe next to him, a threatening tone leaking into his voice.

"I suppose," Meg grumbled. "If that is what you want us to do, Gomess, we have no choice."

Link looked to the black cloaked Poe, confused why the purple Poe was taking orders from him. Gomess offered a sly smile, knowing that Link had caught Meg's subservience. "If you are dying to know, knight, with Jahalla gone and the Death Sword and Eivie unconscious, I am the most powerful ghost here." He explained before grabbing the back of Link's tunic again.

Link decided he did not want to question the Poe's motive in helping him get the Master Sword. Sure, Gomess was in charge, but that barely begun to explain why the ghost was still helping him. As long as they did not try to hurt Eivie or him, he was fine with the strange monster's help.

Gomess carried Link to the other side of the room to the archway opposite of the one they had been in earlier. Gomess returned to help Meg lift Eivie and carry her up as carefully as two spindly armed Poes could. Once they brought Eivie up, the Poes set her on the ground carefully. Link then picked her off of the ground gently and tried not to jostle her around too much as he found the easiest way to carry her. While doing such, he noticed that some of her wounds had begun healing already, likely because of the Death Sword, he assumed. Most of the burns still looked raw and blistered, some of the worst even charred. He regretted not stopping at the potion shop before leaving Castle Town; he had been in a hurry, but now saw it would have been very helpful. He could only hope Eivie would make it long enough to find help or something.

"Follow," Joelle ordered Link as she flew ahead of him. "Let's get this over with."

Link mumbled an okay before following after the grumpy Poe. Meg and Gomess were behind Link as they moved down a hidden, twisting passage. Link could hear the two whispering about something, which worried him. He still not trust the monsters.

After wordlessly walking through the darkened tunnels for some time, Link noticed a light. He sighed, knowing that they would finally be outside of the dark dungeon. With the time he had spent in the room with the toxic lake, fresh air sounded amazing. In a few minutes the group found themselves outside in the light of the evening sun. Link was astounded that they had been in there for such a long time; it had seemed so much quicker.

Once Link had a moment to adjust his eyes to the heavenly brightness, he glanced around, curious where the so called legendary sword was. Most of what he saw were normal, boring trees. He could not see anything that would mark this as the spot to keep such an important item.

"The sword is in a clearing surrounded by stone ruins nearby," Meg stated as Joelle and she reached for Eivie. Link allowed them to grab her and the two began flying downwards between the giant trees to the ground somewhere below.

"Why is the sword in a forest?" he asked out loud, not entirely expecting an answer.

"There is an area of the forest known as the Lost Woods. Living beings have a difficult time passing through without a proper guide." Gomess grabbed Link and began carrying him down as well. "Most humans tend to avoid the temple, for obvious reasons," the Poe laughed.

"Then why haven't you monsters destroyed it?" Link began picking Eivie up again as soon as he was on the ground.

"We cannot touch it." Joelle spat out, like Link was a complete moron for not knowing something so apparently obvious.

"It's called the Sword of Evil's Bane for good reason," Gomess added as he slowly floated past Link. "That is why I find it curious the sorcerer wants you to fetch it."

"Yeah," Link mumbled, agreeing with the Poe on something. It was suspicious. Even Eivie had mentioned Vaati fearing the sword, so why did he want him to fetch it?

Link followed the Poes through the trees, occasionally pausing to adjust his hold on Eivie and checking how she was. Eivie seemed no better. Her appearance did not change back; not one tiny bit. She had mentioned that Vaati had somehow been keeping looking like a human. The Death Sword taking over might have undone whatever Vaati had done.

Link skidded to a stop when he noticed a crumbling wall in front of him. The Poes had forgotten he could not walk through walls. He sighed heavily and prepared to yell, but the silly creatures popped their heads through the wall to look what happened to him. Gomess cackled the second he saw Link's annoyed expression and continued as he carried the knight over the wall. Meg and Joelle set Eivie down on the ground near the wall.

Link looked around at the clearing they had just entered. It was not a large space, but still not cramped. He could see the tall trees of the grove over the dilapidated walls that formed a circle around the area. In the center there was a small pedestal with a purple hilted sword stabbed into it. Link did not waste time and went to stand in front of the legendary Master Sword.

He took a moment just to look at the blade. While it did not seem like something too spectacular, it did give off a sort of aura. For some reason he could just tell that this sword was more special than its appearance let on. After taking a deep breath, he wrapped his hands around the hilt and gave a pull. It slowly slid out of the pedestal, and, when it was completely out, it let off a brief but blinding light. Once he had the sword freed, he moved it through the air, admiring it. He took his words back and decided that this had to be one the finest swords he had ever seen. It may not have been overly detailed and elaborate, but it could slash through any monster, he was sure. He stared at it for a while, forgetting he was in a hurry. It was only a small breeze that reminded him where he was and what he had to get done, who he had help. Link took his old sword out of its sheath and slid the Master Sword in instead.

As soon as the sword was put away, Link went to turn around. He was met by a sudden punch to the face. Before he even got a chance to fight back, he found some strange spell being cast on him. Link fell to the ground and found himself starting to drift off. As his eyes fell closed, he saw a glimpse of a purple cape.

Vaati cursed and shook his stinging hand a few times. He had not expected to hurt himself, but the look Link gave as his fist slammed into Link's face had been enough to warrant the brief pain. Vaati had wanted to do that since he got his memory back.

He ignored the now sleeping Link and went to attend to Eivie. His sentry he had following her had informed him that she had become quite injured during her battle with Jahalla. He waved for the Poes hovering next to her to move. They obediently obeyed, only the black one hesitating. Gomess, Vaati remembered Hue calling this odd Poe. Not that the creature mattered really.

"What _have_ you done, foolish girl?" Vaati muttered as he kneeled down next to Eivie. "I cannot leave you alone, it seems." He picked up her arm, examining her hand and how claw-like her nails had become. He also glanced at the horns on her head. "I see my spell has been shattered as well," he said as he set her arm back onto the ground. "I suppose I should help you, hmm?"

He retrieved a red colored potion from his pocket and popped the cork top off. For the moment he set the potion off to the side. Vaati gently moved Eivie so her head was resting on his lap. He tilted her head back and forced her mouth open. Then he retrieved the potion before slowly pouring it into her mouth. Eivie's unconscious reaction was to begin coughing and attempting to spit the potion out.

"Don't you dare spit that on me," he grumbled as he covered her mouth and nose, forcing her to swallow.

In a few moments, some of Eivie's wounds had healed or at least began to close. The healing potion had done all it could; Eivie was able to at least be carried safely now. Vaati set her back on the ground and took a few steps away. He transformed into his demon form, delicately grabbing Eivie in one of his claws. He then grabbed Link roughly, only making sure the sword did not fall or touch him while he flew. Vaati rose into the air and sped off to the palace now that he had retrieved what he came for.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I hope you enjoyed! Jahalla has been defeated, but at a cost. The Death Sword is really bothering Eivie now. There are probably mistakes in this because I honestly did not feel like reading through it several times; I'll probably fix things up later. I also hope my third-person POV is decent enough. Well thank you to everyone who read this chapter and the previous ones!**

**Thank you to Ana dressed in blood and SkyArrow for favoriting and/or following! Thank you to Kingdom Legends and Zetra Shink for reviewing! **

**Kingdom Legends- Here's another long chapter for you! I'm happy to hear that you think my stories good. I am also really happy that I finally get to write the Death Sword and show its personality a bit more. Thank you for reviewing! I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**Zetra Shink- I hope you enjoyed this even longer chapter! Yeah, fighting Jahalla was definitely not the best thing for Eivie to do because of the Death Sword. And I'll let in on a secret: I've been spelling Jahalla wrong the entire time. It's actually Jalhalla, but since I just caught the mistake I'll just keep it Jahalla for simplicity's sake. Thank for leaving such a nice, long review!**

**-AwkwardBlackCat**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When I became aware that I was even alive, all I felt was dull, throbbing pain. I did not remember being injured to this degree, but I assumed the Death Sword was to blame for the added wounds. I knew I was in a bed by the feel of fabric and cushioning beneath me. It was a slow process to force myself to open my eyes and take in my surroundings fully, though.

Eventually I finally forced myself awake. At first my vision was blurry, but, after blinking a few times, I saw familiar stone walls. I was back at the Palace of Winds. My immediate reaction was to attempt sitting up and to look around. What had Vaati done with Link? How long had I been unconscious? I winced, a slight gasp escaping my mouth. The moment I moved pain seared across my body.

"I would refrain from moving for now, Eivie."

I slowly turned my head to the voice. Vaati was sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. His hands was held over my arm, a dim glow surrounding them. A healing spell. The wounds were slowly closing, although my arm did not look completely normal. When the Death Sword assumed control the illusion Vaati had used must have broken. I could see bones through the gray-blue skin of my arm. The rest of my body probably appeared monstrous as well.

"How badly am I injured?" I coughed a few times. My throat was still raw on the account of swallowing so much poisonous water during the battle.

"I am actually surprised you have awoken so soon. I expected you to sleep for at least a few more hours, if not another day. No matter, though. The worst of your wounds have already begun to heal on account of my magic. Although," he trailed off as he moved to touch my face. His fingers brushed across my face briefly before he gave a disgusted look. "You managed to break my illusion spell. Your appearance has become quite repulsive."

With that comment I stuttered at what I would have said in response to the spell's condition. That had been completely uncalled for. I was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "How bad is it, then? Is the spell beyond repair?"

To answer my first question Vaati gabbed the mirror from the nightstand beside the bed. When he held it up, I… I wanted to agree with his earlier insult. I was repulsive indeed. The monster's curved horns remained. My face had become hollow, the graying skin stretched thin over the bones. My eyes were now fully yellow, no pupil to be seen. When my mouth fell open with the horror of my appearance I was greeted with the sight of the sharp jagged points of my teeth.

"I have found a spell that would revert your appearance back, but the effects will be temporary. The next time the Death Sword surfaces you will lose yourself to it." He frowned. "There will be nothing more I can do until I have the Triforce," he added. For him to admit he was unable to help, I must truly be in a precarious situation.

"I understand," I muttered. This would be the last time I appeared human, then. The Death Sword would try to take over again, that was assured. If I was adamant in my plans to keep the Triforce from him I would be giving up being human forever. "I understand," I repeated under my breath.

"Very well." He stood up from the bed and leaned over, grabbing me by my shoulder and hip. With one fluid moment he had me rolled over onto my stomach. As I was gasping in pain from the sudden movement he had his hands working to untie the back of my dress. Before I could protest he shushed me and said, "I need to place a rune on your back, nothing more. Stop moving around or I may change mind about helping you."

I gritted my teeth and nodded. I felt him lay his hand between my shoulder blades. For a second I only felt warmth, but then an all too familiar pain spread across my back. I screamed, the memory of searing flames and corrosive water returning with the flaring pain. He held me down and yelled for me to shut up. I bit my lip, a few tears sliding down my face. Once the spell was placed, he took his hand from my back before reaching for the mirror again.

I was back to normal, for the most part. I caught a glimpse of the so called rune burned onto my skin. Before I had the chance to study the mark, Vaati sat the mirror back down and reached for me again. He quickly tied the laces of my dress, then rolled me onto my back once more. As quickly as the pain of the rune had started it had dissipated, only my previous injuries stinging with the movement.

"Much better," he murmured, running his fingers through my hair. His face was blank. He did not seem so focused on me now and more like he was thinking of something else.

"Where is Link?" My voice shook with the question. "And Zelda? Are they okay?"

His red eyes narrowed at the mention of Link and Zelda. "They are fine," he said. As he glared at me, he seemed to notice something. He stopped combing through my hair. That was when I remembered I was still wearing the necklace Link had given me. "Is that why you are so concerned with his well-being?" He grabbed the stone of the necklace and lifted it off of my chest. "Do you truly believe that he cares for you?" With a rough tug he broke the string and pulled the necklace off. "That he is your friend? You do not understand your predicament, do you? There is only one way you will survive the Death Sword and that is with me. If you continue chasing whatever fantasies you have of that brat, _you will die_." The necklace went flying through the air, smashing into the wall on the opposite side of the room with a clatter. The pale stone cracked, but did not shatter.

"Do you really care if I live or die?" I asked flatly. "I am not an irreplaceable ally. I am merely some human possessed by a monster you could easily destroy. Have you some other reason?"

He snapped his mouth shut, choosing to glare instead of answering. After a moment he snarled, "Do not question my motives, Eivie. You know nothing."

There was a silence that followed. Vaati looked away and seemed to be considering something else. I had struck a nerve, as I had planned to. Admitting he felt anything would be painful, especially if he felt something for another being. Why else would he bother keeping me around? I was not essential. I never was. I was entertainment at best. I was willing to do as he said, motivated by desperation for survival and acceptance. He knew that was how he could manipulate me, and now it was painfully obvious.

The only thing he did not account for was growing even moderately attached to me. I had been one of his few friends in Castle Town and he one of mine. That may be the sole reason he even thought to keep me alive; a more human version of Vaati remembered me before he regained all of his past memories.

"Where are Link and Zelda?" I asked again.

His face twitched at the names being brought up once more. "In the castle, not harmed as of yet. That knight is resting before we go to defeat Ganondorf."

"We?" I forced myself to sit up, pain shooting through my body as I did. "I thought I was to accompany him?"

"Well, seeing as how you incapacitated yourself so thoroughly, I will be forced to."

"No. I can go." As soon as Ganondorf was dead, Vaati would kill Link. There would be no more use for him when Vaati gets the Triforce of Power. "I am capable of accompanying him."

Vaati scoffed at me. "You, help in a fight against Ganondorf? Even without these injuries, you would be a distraction at most. I have decided that I would ensure that he is defeated, even if that means having to work with the knight."

"But-"

"Eivie," he hissed. "I have made my decision. Do not make me regret saving you."

I opened my mouth but decided to snap it shut again. It was no use arguing with him. I would need to come up with a different plan if I couldn't go with Link. After a brief silence, I said, "Thank you. You could have left me to die, but you helped me. I apologize if I seem ungrateful, because I am."

He scrunched his nose and rolled his eyes. "You were hardly believable. What other irritating questions do you have if you see the need to flatter me?"

"When are you leaving?"

Before he had a chance to answer, a ghostly presence entered the palace area. We both looked at the floor, in the Poe's direction, even though we knew we could not see it. The Poe was drifting towards the room.

"When the sun raises." Vaati answered, standing up. "Anything else before I leave you and your visitor?

"Can I at least bid Link and you goodbye before you leave?"

He sighed. "If you must, but know I will not come fetch you." Without waiting for my response, he teleported out of the room.

I cringed as I moved myself so I could rest my back against the headboard of the bed. A few moments later a dark shadow drifted through the floor, green eyes glowing brightly. Gomess floated beside my bed, his scythe rested on his shoulder. His lantern now hung around his neck instead of being clutched by his feet. The cape he wore now billowed behind him, similar to how he had first appeared. If I was not imagining things, he also seemed to be a few inches taller than before. He almost appeared to have regained some of the power he had lost switching objects.

"Gomess, how have you regained your power so quickly?"

The phantom laughed. "The living dead noticed the change? If you must know, there were plenty Poes defiant to your rule. I merely took care of them in a manner most helpful to me."

"You mean to say you took their power? Poes are able to kill one another to gain the other's power?"

The dark Poe grinned before fishing a bottle out from somewhere under his cape. His spindly hands offered it to me. I took it, noticing the swirling purple, almost mist-like substance in it. "Drink it," Gomess said, his smile making me wary.

"What is it?" I held the bottle up. It reminded me of the mist from the poison lake.

"Just drink it, mortal Poe." He stared at me, waiting.

I frowned at him. Gomess was becoming more and more odd. He presented himself as an enemy at first, but now an ally. He did not even seem to be helping just the Death Sword, but me as well. He was watching me now like I was an experiment's test subject.

I turned the bottle from side to side, contemplating if it would kill me. Whatever the purple substance was it had an evil look to it. Like when a monster faded from existence the moment after exploding. It may be the answer to my question judging by the timing.

I popped the lid off of the bottle. The mist began rising out in small wisps. Before it all escaped I downed the mystery concoction. Immediately I gagged and nearly vomited. Vile. Disgusting. I covered my mouth, waiting for the nauseous feeling to subside.

Gomess cackled at my reaction. "Did the human ghost find that unpleasant?"

I swallowed, the initial reaction to the drink lessening. When I moved to place my feet of the ground, I noticed I was not as sore. I glanced at my hands, seeing that some of the wounds had closed even more. "What was that?"

"A Poe."

"A Poe?" I repeated, staring at the empty bottle. I just drank a Poe's soul, and it had helped me. Both things were disturbing to a degree. "Why did you think to do that?"

"A suspicion."

"Do all Poes do this? Eat each other for strength?"

"The Devourer of Souls is a title earned not by Poes, but humans." He reached his hand out for the bottle.

"Why would a human eat a Poe?" I handed him the bottle. His babbling was beginning to grow old. "And why would you want me to eat one?"

"To become a monster."

I stared at the creature. Could a human really eat a monster to become one? Gomess was certainly up to something, bringing this up now. He hinted that he had done the same; devoured the Poes loyal to Jahalla even in its defeat. He could not have been telling me he had once been a human that had ate Poes to become a Poe. Poes were spirits born of hatred. Perhaps they were human once, but certainly not from a human eating a monster.

Even giving me one made little sense. I was already possessed by the Death Sword; a monster. If he meant me to turn into a monster, perhaps he meant it as waking the Death Sword up.

"Gomess, what are you trying to say? I do not have the time or patience to play guessing games."

"Nothing important, my human master. It was a game I made to entertain myself." He turned away, ending the debate.

"I do not believe you," I mumbled.

I ignored the Poe, deciding to try standing. The tiled floor was cold beneath my feet. As I slide off of the bed, my muscles ached, but compared to earlier it was nothing. Vaati's spells and Gomess' Poe had helped considerably when thinking back to the fight. I found my shoes next to the bed ad sat back down to put them on.

"How many days has it been since the battle with Jahalla?" I rose again, my legs still shaking under my weight.

Gomess glanced over his shoulder. "Two and a half."

"When is daylight?"

"In an hour or so."

"Where is Hue?"

The ghost burst into laughter again. I could seem him reach under his cloak again. He held another bottle in the air, a yellow wisp trapped inside. "I figured you would wish to see your most reliable underling. I caught him in Castle Town, hiding in his tomb."

I smiled. Serves the liar right. "Keep him for now. I will speak to him later." I took a step forward, muscles protesting. I could fight through the soreness. "Follow." Vaati and Link would leave from the ballroom. I would just need to get there in the next hour to see them off. Then I could question Hue and plan -hopefully with Zelda's help- my next move.

"As you wish, mortal Poe." The chain around his neck creaked as the lantern swung when he moved.

I picked up the necklace and tied it back around my neck.

No more running away. It was time to act. No matter what happens to me, I would not let Vaati win. I would not let Link or Zelda get hurt.

**A/N- I have not abandoned this. I just had writer's block followed by school. Not much else to say other than I hope people will enjoy this despite the months of no updates. **


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Gomess followed behind me as I clung to the wall, slowly making my way to the staircase. It would be daybreak by the time I managed to get to the ballroom with my current pace. My body ached and just wanted to sleep, not deal with a power crazed mage, a king of darkness, and a mythical all-powerful artifact. I considered asking Gomess to carry me at some point, only pride preventing me. I had enough of people carrying me around.

Although I did not have a choice in the matter. We were down one flight of stairs when Gomess wrapped an arm around my waist and picked me up. His response was "Watching you walk is boring." I gave in and let him do as he pleased, the thought of reaching Link and Zelda making it bearable.

When we arrived in the open room, I was surprised to see Link and Zelda sitting on a couch in the far corner, two Darknuts and a sentry eye watching them. I could hear them talking in a hushed tone, perhaps hoping the monsters would not hear specifics. Zelda jerked her head in my direction, then stood up. The Darknuts held up their hulking swords with the movement.

"Eivie?" Zelda called out, peeking around the armored monsters. Link stood up as well. He had a fading bruise around his eye.

Gomess sat me down gently when we were a few feet from the Darknuts. My knees threatened to fall out, but after a stumble I found my balance. One of the Darknuts glanced over its shoulder.

"Move." They hesitated so I added, "Do you wish to anger me?"

The sentry squeaked shrilly a few times. The Darknuts took a step away from Link and Zelda and allowed for me to pass between them. Gomess stayed back, glowing eyes wandering around the room.

"Eivie! You're all right!" Link took a step forward, offering a hand to help me sit down. I accepted the help, ending up sitting in the middle of the couch.

"Are you sure you should be walking about?" Zelda asked as she sat down next to me. "Link told me what had happened."

"Yeah, you were in really bad shape," Link said.

"I am better, no need to worry. Has Vaati told you what he plans to do?"

"Have me defeat Ganondorf with the Master Sword." Link glanced at the sword's hilt. "And that he would be coming with me." His face scrunched at that thought. "We're leaving soon, I think."

"He also said that I would be staying here with you, under the watch of those," Zelda pointed at the sentry. "Those wicked bats that are always following me."

I nodded. Then Zelda and I would have to find a way to either escape the bats or talk in secret. "Any mention of where you will be fighting Ganon?"

"He neglected that fact." Zelda frowned as she looked at the floor. "If I had a guess, Castle Town. Vaati had asked me about Ganondorf and the Gerudo a few times, as well as how strong the castle's defenses were. Ganondorf may have already taken the castle, considering how I left it." Her hands gripped the fabric of her dress. "May the Goddess' be with Castle Town," she murmured.

"I hope everyone back home is okay," Link added quietly.

"Gomess," I said, the ghost turning slowly to me. "You said you captured Hue in Castle Town. What was it like there?"

"Hmm…" Gomess adjusted his hold on his scythe. "I had not been paying particular attention to mortals, who I assume you are concerned about. In fact I saw very few. More Bokoblin and Bulblin were running about than humans."

"Does that mean their all dead?" Link leaned forward. Gomess must have been visible to them, then.

Gomess did not answer, but the grin forming was worrisome. It was even worse when he began cackling.

"Are you… are you saying that…" Zelda stared at the ghost in horror. "No."

"If only it were true the humans all lay dead in the streets. Mountains of corpses, what a thought." Gomess' laughter died away. "They were hiding in their houses, most of them. The only bodies were that of guards and knights that fought the Gerudo or monsters."

We all sighed in relief, knowing the entire town had not been wiped out. But then Link and Zelda became serious again, likely thinking of all of the knights and guards they knew. Hopefully Link's father was not among them. Hopefully Syrup was okay. I was more annoyed with the Poe's delivery of the news than anything else, though.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Link asked after a short pause.

I tried to fake a smile. "I will be fine, for now." I wrung my hands together, looking at the ground. "What happened after… After it took control of me?" It was hard to remember anything after shattering Jahalla's lantern. Just images. One including me attacking Link.

"You… The Death Sword battled Jahalla. Not much else." He turned away, rubbing the back of head.

"I attacked you, did I not?"

He quickly turned to face me again. "You didn't hurt me or anything. And it wasn't really you. Don't worry about that. I know it wasn't you, so you don't need to try and explain anything, okay?" He waited for me to nod, which I eventually gave into. Then he said, "After the battle, Gomess and the other, colorful Poes took us to the sword." He frowned, muttering, "And then Vaati showed up, punched me in the face, and knocked me out with some spell."

That would explain the black eye, then. I had nothing to say in response, really. Link held his hand near his mouth, staring at Gomess for moment, before he leaned closer to me. Zelda did as well, wanting to hear the secret.

"Gomess asked me to kill you and the Death Sword twice while you were fighting Jahalla," he whispered.

I raised an eyebrow, stealing a glance at the Poe. He was staring at us curiously, but I did not think he could hear us. "Did he give you any reasoning to wanting me dead?"

"He seemed to be wanting the Death Sword gone, but I still wouldn't trust him." Link shook his head. "That Poe seems very strange, even more so than the other ones."

"I sense that as well," Zelda cut in. "He had been the one that attacked us in Castle Town, yet he still lives. I feel this creature is stronger than he lets on."

"I agree," I said quietly. It wasn't only me, then. Gomess was acting in a peculiar manner, even for a Poe. "I will be wary of him, but he has been cooperative thus far." That was more than I could say about Hue. I would take my chance allying with Gomess than the secret-keeping coward.

The metal clanks of the Darknuts moving interrupted our conversation. The armored creatures parted, standing on either side of the couch. The sentry beside them fluttered around erratically. With a small gust, Vaati made his appearance in front of us. The bat perched on his shoulder, focusing its gaze on Gomess.

Vaati made a point to glare at each one of us, especially Link, before speaking. "Eivie," he began, voice with an edge, "come here."

I stood up and walked over to him, noticing how much better I was feeling. When I reached his side, he motioned for the Darknuts to block Zelda's and Link's view of us. He stepped closer, leaning in.

"What did that ghost give to you?" He spoke in a hushed tone.

"He said it was a Poe soul," I answered, confused. I glanced over at Gomess, who was watching us, fighting a crooked smile.

Vaati frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "And how did eating it affect you? You seem to be able to move about now."

"It helped, I suppose." I paused, thinking of a proper comparison. "Its effects have actually been similar to that of a red potion," I said, remembering Syrup's concoctions for the first time in a while. "It healed my wounds further. I am unsure if it caused anything else to happen, though." I felt better than I had since the Death Sword's personality started surfacing. Almost like I had before I knew the creature occupied my body. It was still lurking, though.

"What happened to that gold Poe of yours?" Vaati rose an eyebrow. "The ghost has been out of my sight for a few days."

"Gomess has him in a bottle." I smiled, saying, "Hue is a very disobedient ghost. I felt some time imprisoned would change his behavior."

"So you were the one that ordered Hue to be captured?" He asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. He narrowed his eyes.

There was no way I could say I ordered such a thing. I had been unconscious, and, before that, I had no true reason to punish the Poe. Hue had been relatively behaved, taking orders from both Vaati and I. "No. Gomess had acted on his own," I finally answered. "From my knowledge Hue had tried to flee, so Gomess brought the coward back."

Vaati glared at Gomess. "Had I known this creature would be so troublesome I would have had something else assist you," he grumbled.

"Vaati?" His attention snapped back to me. "Do you know what eating a Poe would do something like me or a human?"

"I have no idea," he huffed. "I have not heard of humans stupid enough to catch and eat a Poe. Or that a Poe would eat another," he grabbed my arm and looked at the closed wounds, "to heal injuries. I would advise you to stop listening to Gomess. It may either revive the Death Sword or interfere with my spell keeping you human."

I nodded, not sure if I would take his advice. The soul had been helpful. Judging by how fast Gomess had regained his power eating souls seemed a quicker method of healing. They were just monsters; the less there were the better.

"Eivie," Vaati began sternly, "while the knight and I are gone, I shall allow you to speak with Zelda so long as you behave. You are not to tell her anything concerning my plans. My sentries will be keeping watch on you, so remember this." He looked at the Darknuts, adding, "Should I suspect something I will not hesitate to send an army of Darknuts after you."

"I understand." That would be a problem. I had planned to enlist Zelda's help in the matter, but not being able to explain the situation would leave her guessing. If the sentries were about it would be hard to question Hue as well. Vaati would not allow Hue to divulge secrets about him. That was probably why he wanted to know why the ghost had disappeared.

"Good. Now take this." He thrust a necklace in my face, looking away.

I stared at it, fighting the smile trying to form and stifling a laugh. What a childish demon, Vaati was. After a moment I took it, examining the red gemmed necklace. I could not even mutter a thank you for fear of laughing at the jealous mage.

"The battle should be over by nightfall," he stated, speaking up. The Darknuts stepped to the side, revealing Link and Zelda staring at us. "Go stand over there, knight," he ordered, pointing to a place in the middle of the room.

Link stood up, Zelda following suit. She gave him a quick hug, whispering something to him. He nodded before reluctantly walking away. Vaati took a step forward. I grabbed his wrist, then hesitated. This would be the last time I saw him. I would betray him and he would despise me.

I awkwardly wrapped my arms around him, pressing my cheek to his chest. He stood there stiffly for a second before he decided to return the embrace. After a moment I stepped away, face red. He stared at me, obviously pleased, but also very confused. I looked at the ground before I went to stand beside Zelda.

Vaati shook off my actions and walked a few steps towards Link. Wind suddenly gusted through the palace, nearly knocking me off balance. Vaati transformed into the single eyed bat of his demon form. Link stumbled back a step when Vaati hovered closer to him. One of his clawed hands snatched Link off of the ground, Link giving a surprised yelp. Vaati flew out the window, the two soon gone from sight.

"Eivie," Zelda started, "I need to know what is going on."

"I…" I closed my mouth. Of course she would be suspicious. She was not stupid. I just had not expected her to ask so frankly. "What do you know?" I asked, looking around. As Vaati promised, I could see two sentries fluttering nearby. There were probably more hidden about the palace.

"Link had the Master Sword with him. Legend tells of a hero that uses the Master Sword to defeat a great evil. I have not figured out who he should be using that sword on. Ganondorf is certainly not pleasant, but Vaati is a demon." She paused, following my gaze to a nearby sentry. "I understand that Vaati has probably asked you to keep quiet about what he is doing." Zelda turned to me. "That is why I want to know what _you_ are doing. What are you planning? Are you still our ally?"

I flinched when Gomess suddenly decided to join the conversation by flying into my face.

"What _are_ you planning, living dead?" He tilted his head to the side.

After taking a step back from Gomess, I whispered, "I am still your ally, Zelda." I then looked to Gomess. "I need to speak with Hue before I figure out what I am to do."

"As you wish." The ghost brought out the bottle, unscrewing the lid with his spidery hands. He let the yellow mist rise from the bottle. Slowly it began to materialize into the familiar masked Poe.

Once the Poe gained consciousness, his glowing eyes widened with the sight of Gomess and me. He faded from sight, fleeing.

"Gomess," I ordered as I brought my hands up. Blue fire spread fanned across the room. The golden Poe becoming visible once more. As he whipped around to swing his lantern, Gomess' scythe slashed through the air in a blur. He stopped with the blade touching Hue. The yellow ghost shook so violently his lantern clinked and clanked. "Hue, I suggest you not try to flee again."

He groaned, letting his lantern fall to his side. Gomess kept his scythe in place as he lead the other back to stand before Zelda and I. "What is it?" he asked curtly, the surprise of the attack already worn off.

"I have been informed you know a great deal more than you lead me to believe," I started harshly before remembering the sentries. I could not yell at him properly with Vaati watching. "You were summoned by Vaati?"

"Dammed Forest Keepers told you," he mumbled. He glanced at Gomess' scythe before grumbling. "Centuries ago that mage somehow accidentally summoned me from the Dark World to this place. I do not see how this is important."

"You have seen him defeated before." I straightened my back, clasping my hands behind me. "I want to know how."

Zelda glanced at me hearing this.

Hue sighed. "A sword called the Four Sword. That thing has been rusting for centuries now. The humans gradually forgot about the demon inside it. It's probably how he got out yet again."

"Would the Master Sword be able to defeat him, then?" Zelda asked.

"I guess," Hue sighed. "It's killed Ganon a few times, so the sorcerer would probably be killed by it. Though I don't think the knight will be able to after they kill Ganon today."

A sentry fluttered closer, trying to hear us since we had been talking in hushed tones. Gomess swung his scythe, nearly taking off our heads, as he cut the bat in half.

"Speak quickly," I commanded Hue. "If Vaati gets the Triforce of Power from Ganon, can he still be defeated?"

"Triforce?" Zelda interrupted. "The Triforce is what he is after?" When I nodded my head she sighed. "I thought it was another legend," she mumbled. "I wish it was."

"It would be difficult," Hue said. "He will probably kill the knight right after he gets it."

"Then he would have two pieces," I muttered. "We need to get Link away from Vaati as soon as possible, but after that…" Even if Zelda and Link could away from him, he would pursue. The only one that could kill him would be Link with the Master Sword. Vaati would retreat to the palace, which was unreachable, then plan how to get the rest of the Triforce without being killed by Link. "Is there any way to get here without flying?" I said in defeat, knowing that there was no way Vaati would leave a way for others to reach him.

"Yes," Hue answered.

"There is?"

"In the past, there were three silver keys protected by fairies that the knight gathered to teleport himself here."

"Where?"

Hue rolled his eyes. "The lands have changed since then. Jahalla had one. I think the Zoras' have one. The other is somewhere in Death Mountain."

The key the Ghini had. Link picked that up, right? "Zelda, did Link mention having a key? He had it in his bag, I believe."

She shook her. "No, he did not mention it. He still had his bag, though."

I bit my lip, hoping that Link still had the key and that Vaati had not taken it. "Gomess, do you know where the palace is right now?"

"Above Lake Hylia, flying east towards the desert," he answered, slashing part the other sentry that had tried to get close.

It was then that the Darknuts in the room got the order to attack. The two closest charged forward. They were met by a blast of white light, stunning them. Light magic.

"We need to go," Zelda said, lowering her hands. Several more Darknuts arrived from connecting corridors. Vaati had not been joking when he said an army.

"This way." I turned on my heel, running as fast as my broken body would let me. "We need to get to the balcony." I pointed to the large doors in front of us.

The Darknuts thundered behind us as we ran. Hue escaped from Gomess' watch, quickly disappearing through the floor. Gomess passed through the door. Zelda and I pushed on the heavy door, it slowly creaking open. With Darknuts a few steps away from us, we squeezed through the small opening, shoving it closed behind us. The balcony overlooked a sea of clouds. The only escape was down.

I peered over the railings. "Gomess, carry Zelda down."

"All right, phantom human," the ghost replied.

"What about you?" Gomess picked Zelda off of the ground. "How will you get away?" she asked, glancing at the Poe nervously.

I carefully swung a leg over the railing, then the other. My fingers wrapped tightly around the rail. "I have a plan," I answered. A horrible plan, but a plan. The Death Sword could fly. The Death Sword had flown with my body during the battle.

The Darknuts crashed through the door. Gomess flew over the rails with Zelda, leaving me. The closest Darknut lifted its sword over its head. I let go of the rail.

I fell backward, the wind blowing hair into my eyes and mouth. Chunks of the railing fell with me, the Darknut staring down over the broken rail. The palace became smaller and smaller as I was pulled down by gravity. It was surreal, falling from such a height. After the initial shock, I turned over, eyes focused on the land and water below.

No matter how much I tried to visualize myself floating, my body kept falling, the ground ever closer. It was hard to keep my eyes open with the screaming wind around me. In a last ditch effort I turned incorporeal. My descent slowed, but not did stop.

I crashed into the lake, the cold water swirling around me as I sunk.

**A/N- Thank you to all who are reading! Thank you Mashimarro for the favorite and Ayako Zetra for the review! The silver keys are from Four Swords. Hues were found in the Dark World in a Link to the Past and A link Between Worlds. Vaati had been messing with the Dark Mirror and accidentally summoned Hue. Yep. Not sure if that lines up with the timeline and stuff, but that's what I'm saying happened. **

**I have not been editing these as much as I used to, so the quality may be a bit down. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be done; it all depends on how busy I get. Hope you all stick around though. It's nearing the end, about five-ish chapters or so. Then I think I'll write a one-shot for Gomess' past and then a somewhat-sequel to this story. **

**Ayako Zetra- Well, I'm glad you think I'm a good writer. And, yeah, writer's block is no fun. I sort of stalled out and then school started, killing all motivation for this story 'til now. But I'm determined to finish this one at least. Thanks for the review! **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I coughed out water, lungs burning once more. Everything was wet. Mud was caked to the side of my body, like I had been dragged ashore. A grim reminder shown through the mud on my hands. My nails had gotten longer, the unnatural deep purple shade still there. Becoming incorporeal even briefly had damaged Vaati's spell.

"No, no, no!" Zelda's voice said from nearby. "I told you she is not a monster and that we need your help. This is of the utmost importance, sir."

"Princess Zelda, your knights came here, telling us that this very monster had helped abduct you," another voice chimed in. "Our Queen has given us orders, that if we were to find you, to take you to safety. And, that if we saw your captors, to…"

"I know all this. Just, please, listen to what I am saying. I know you have your orders, but under the circumstances, please make an exception. Eivie is not a threat to you or me. The true threat is Ganondorf and Vaati, and we need the cooperation of the Zoras to prevent disaster from befalling Hyrule."

I shakily pushed myself off of the ground. Zelda stood next to a Zora with his helmet under his arm and spear's tip planted in the ground. We had fallen into Lake Hylia, conveniently enough. I looked around, ignoring the glaring Zora.

"Gomess?" I rasped.

The ghost rose out of the ground. "Yes, nearly dead human?"

"Monster!" the Zora shouted, pointing his spear at Gomess. "Princess Zelda, step back!"

"No, this one will not attack either." Zelda forced a smile. "Please calm down. Everything is fine."

"Gomess, go get the key in Death Mountain." I wiped my muddy hands on the skirt of my dress. There was not enough time for Zelda and I to trek up the mountain, poke around a cave, and get back to Castle Town before Ganon is defeated. I would have to trust Gomess to fetch the key. "Once you have it, give it to Link." I lowered my voice. "Do whatever necessary to obtain that key, but try to avoid killing anyone if possible."

"As you wish, decayed one." The dark ghost hovered closer. "And after I deliver the key?" He laughed under his breath. "Do you wish me to find your corpse, walking or otherwise?"

"Return to me if I still live." I glanced at my hand. "If not, it is up to you who you serve."

"Then farewell, Eivie, mortal Poe." Gomess shot upwards before flying to the west.

"Now, sir Zora," Zelda began, "about the key I mentioned."

The Zora lowered it spear. "The silver key is a treasure given to us by one of the Great Fairies." He looked across the lake. "I have no such right to give something like that away."

"Is there any way we can barrow it, though? We need this key to stop the demon Vaati." Zelda placed a hand on her hip, still managing to keep her voice level and polite. "If we could get an audience with your queen or if you could ask…"

"Only you would be allowed into our Domain." The Zora shot a look my way.

"We need the key now," I said bluntly. Judging by Zelda's exasperation she had been trying to convince the Zora for a while. There was no time to go to Zora's Domain ourselves, explain our situation once more, and then wait for a decision to be made.

"And who are you, monster, to tell me what to do? It was only upon the Princess' request that I dragged you ashore." The Zora took a step forward. "You, the very monster that helped abduct the princess, has no right to request anything!"

I met his challenge and stepped forward as well. "So you will deny us the one thing that can stop Vaati? Do you think he will stay ignorant to your kind possessing such a threat? He will come here. He will rip you all apart, feed your mangled corpses to monsters, and then destroy the rest of Hyrule."

"Eivie," Zelda gasped, hand over her mouth.

I continued, seething more with every word. "Do you understand your situation yet? Do you understand that by needlessly arguing with us you risk Vaati killing your _only_ chance of survival? We need that key _now_ so we can get to the castle to save the hero before we're all doomed to die!"

"Eivie," Zelda snapped this time, quieting me. "I apologize, sir Zora, but she speaks the truth. If we do not get that key soon, Vaati will destroy everything. I understand that we have put you in a very inconvenient position, but we need the Zoras, and your, cooperation to survive."

"I…" the Zora trailed off, glancing back at the lake. "I will seek an audience with the queen immediately. I will return as soon as I can, but I do not promise you anything." His webbed feet slapped the mud as he walked towards the water. He placed his helmet back over his head. "Princess, please keep an eye on your monster," he warned before diving into the water.

Zelda turned towards me, a half-glare on her face. "Why had you threatened him like that? It was not necessary."

"We do not have time to play politics. If I learned anything from Vaati it is that threats are very effective." I hoped it was Vaati's influence that caused the outburst. The other option was that the Death Sword's personality was already creeping out again. I had been in control, though. I had said the words, not _it_. "It seems to have worked. That is all that matters at this point."

"Fine," she huffed. "Now that those bats are gone, however, I would like to know exactly what Vaati is planning. Especially concerning the Triforce." She held her hand up, looking at the back of it. "That would explain why he took me, I suppose. 'It's just a birthmark.' Yeah, sure," she muttered to herself.

"He will use Link to defeat Ganondorf and take the Triforce of Power. He would likely kill Link after that. I have been assuming Link holds the other piece by what the Poes told me. About Link being an incarnation of some sorts, chosen by the Goddesses to defeat evil."

"I have a feeling that he does have the other piece. I always felt he had some extraordinary power, especially because of his blind stup… I mean courage." Zelda sighed looking over the lake, in the direction of the castle. "You seem to have a plan in mind. What is it?"

"After we get the key we will go to Castle Town. Hopefully we will be in time to stop Vaati before he has any of the Triforce. If not," I paused, looking at the ground. "If not, then I will distract Vaati from Link to allow you both to escape. Then you could use the keys to reach the palace."

"Eivie, you need to stop trying to sacrifice yourself. We all three could fight him, and you know that." She put her hands on her hips. "The three of us would have a better chance against him than just you."

"I… I know… It is just that if something were to go wrong, Vaati could have all three pieces. I know that eventually I will lose myself to the Death Sword. I am dying, and I would rather die trying to protect this place than… Than letting that monster wreak havoc."

"We can find a way to help you! I am sure of it!"

"Even with all of his magic Vaati is unable to help me," I growled. "There is nothing left for me as a human. I will use that monster's power to my advantage before it kills me. There is no helping me anymore. There never was." I clenched my mouth before muttering, "I am a monster. I have always been one. No amount of denial will change the truth."

"Eivie," Zelda said, trailing off. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from me. "We should still not split up. We should fight him together."

"No." It would take everything I had to battle Vaati. I would lose control of my body. They did not need to see that. "I refuse your help. Retreat with Link and form an actual plan to fight Vaati."

She said nothing in response, seeming to understand that I had no more patience. We stared at the lake, waiting for the Zora to return with the blasted key.

* * *

><p>The demon Vaati dived downward, the streets of Castle Town below them. He dropped Link on the ground, his sword and shield clanking as he rolled. The sorcerer returned to his Hylian form and tapped his foot as he waited for the knight to stand up.<p>

Link glared at Vaati, brushing the dust off of his clothes. "Ganon in the castle?" Link was already walking down the street, towards the stone giant of a castle. He took out his sword. A line of Bokoblin were screeching, having just noticed the two arrivals.

"Yes," Vaati answered, walking behind Link. The sentry back in the castle had reported that Eivie and Zelda seemed to be talking with Hue and Gomess. It could not hear what they were saying, only that they all looked particularly tense.

Link slashed apart a Bokoblin, then glanced over his shoulder at the distracted sorcerer. "Did something happen with Eivie and Zelda?" Vaati's twitch was enough to tell Link that he had guessed correctly.

"It is not something to concern yourself with," he muttered, flicking his wrist and slamming a few of the Bokoblin into the wall with a gust.

"What will happen to Eivie?" Link hacked apart another Bokoblin, frowning. "I mean, with her and the Death Sword? She seemed better, but…"

"She will revert to the creature you saw in the temple," Vaati said flatly. "For the time being, she is a lost cause, especially with how she is acting." He growled when the sentry watching Zelda and Eivie was slashed apart by Gomess. He had hoped that for once she would behave, but apparently that was asking too much of the Poe hybrid. "Damn it, Eivie," he grumbled.

"Something wrong?" Link asked, a smile forming. Whatever Zelda and Eivie were doing was truly irritating Vaati. The sorcerer gave no answer, only a scowl.

Another group of Bokoblin came down the street, squawking as they waved their weapons in the air. Link raised his sword to fight the bunch off.

"Eivie, don't you dare," Vaati growled. The Darknut had cornered them on the balcony. The black Poe had his arms around Zelda and Eivie was climbing over the rails. Then the idiot jumped.

A sudden gale slammed into the Bokoblin, shredding them apart with their own weapons. Link stared at the carnage before turning to see what the sorcerer was doing. Vaati had his hands clenched and a snarl on his face as he looked eastward. Link could only see buildings.

"What'd they do?" Link waited for the fuming sorcerer to answer but sighed after a moment. Vaati had not even heard him over how angry he was. Whatever they did had him seething, which was funny, but also concerning.

"Where did they go?" he suddenly shouted. Sure, he could speak with the sentries telepathically, but yelling seemed more satisfying at the moment. The sentry that had been hidden in the room frantically mentioned the lake being below the palace. He growled, throwing his hands up. He only had Darknut at his disposal currently. They could not survive the fall down, let alone swim in a lake. He did not have time to go fetch them himself.

"Hey," Link said, stepping in front of Vaati, "what'd they do? Where'd they go?"

Vaati shoved Link out of the way. "Let's just get to the castle." He stomped away. He had to get the Triforce before Eivie decided to interfere. It would not be long before she was in Castle Town. She would tell the knight his plans, and then he would be fighting against Link, who was armed with an evil banishing sword. He did not want to take chances considering how past fights had turned out. Not this time. No, he would be the winner this time.

Link caught up to the sorcerer, matching his pace. "Seriously," he grumbled, "how does Eivie put up with you?"

"Considering she just jumped out of a flying palace, she does not."

"What?" Link stepped in front of Vaati, causing him to stop walking. "What do you mean she jumped? Is she all right? Is Zelda all right?"

Vaati shrugged. "She had Gomess carry Zelda, and then proceeded to jump. Eivie could be dead for all I know." Eivie had probably landed in the lake. The palace should have been right above it. If she managed to slow her decent, she should be alive. Of course she could not swim very well, judging by the amount of burns she had from Jahalla's toxic lake. "She is _probably_ alive," he added quietly. The ghost would have fished her out of the lake before she drowned. Gomess seemed oddly attached to her.

"You don't even know if they're okay?"

"That is not our main concern, presently." Vaati took a step to the side, Link blocking him. Vaati glared. "Ganondorf is our priority right now. I already have a sentry looking for them," he lied. "I will tell you when it finds them." Link did not move, so Vaati teleported around him. Then he trudged forward, hearing Link give an exasperated sigh before following.

There was no more conversation. Waves of Bokoblin and Bulblin filled the streets, numbers growing with every step closer to the castle. Link had to hack his way through, while Vaati had resorted to turning the monsters to stone. When they reached the courtyard, Link stopped, lowering his sword as he stared at the castle grounds. There were weapons littering the area, the grass and flowers were torn from the soil, and the fountain was crumbling, the water gone. This was where the knights had fought. The bodies were gone, but the bloodstains remained.

Link bit his lip, holding back anger, sadness, everything he felt. He charged forward. Seeing what Ganon had caused first-hand… He knew why they needed to get rid of him. Link quickly reached the doors of the castle. There were two Lizalfos guarding the entrance, both hissing as they noted the two invaders. Link did not hesitate to slash the nearest apart. Vaati turned the other monster to stone in a flash of light.

"Let's do this," Link muttered. The large door groaned as it opened. As soon as they were open wide enough to squeeze through, Link entered.

The once spectacular castle in ruins. The tapestries that decorated the walls were shredded. Some of the paintings were knocked to the ground, damaged by arrows, fire, and everything else imaginable. The marble floors were covered in mud, blood, and discarded swords, bows, and spears. The hole in the ceiling left by Vaati had widened, and chunks of stone had fallen to the ground. There was no one to be seen.

Link stepped around the debris. He tried not to think about what would have happened during the siege. Fighting required concentration; not the distracting, wild rage he felt right now. Vaati kept his distance as he followed Link up the stairs and to the heavy doors leading into the throne room. No monsters showed up to stop them. Even Ganon must have known no amount of underlings would stop Link and Vaati from reaching him.

Link reached out to open the doors only to have a blast of magic obliterate them. Link looked over his shoulder at the sorcerer before deciding to ignore him again. He walked through the rubble the door left behind. On the far side of the room, the Gerudo king sat in the stolen throne. Once Link was in the center of the room, the imposing man stood, his dark armor clanking against itself.

"Welcome to my castle." Ganondorf cackled quietly under his breath. He took a step forward, his sword catching light and gleaming ominously.

Vaati stayed back, choosing to lean in the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. He only needed to be present for the show, to be there when it was over to claim what was his. He would only step in if time deemed it necessary. The weaker Link was after his battle, the easier it would be to kill him.

One of his sentries had found the two escapees. They were on the road towards town. They did not speak or even glance at each other as they trudged along the path. The dark Poe was not with them; nor any other Poes. If the battle was quick, Vaati would not have to deal with Eivie or Zelda interfering. Perhaps their escape would not be a complete blunder.

Link had already forgotten the sorcerer, and was glaring at Ganondorf as the man rambled about "light and dark" and him being the only one "worthy" of being king. Soon after the spiel, Ganondorf gave a roar, turning into the form of twisted beast. The tusked monstrosity charged forward, crashing into walls and toppling pillars as it chased Link. The knight had already found a weak point; a glowing gem on the pig's forehead. He spent more time dodging than attacking, though. Link had actually thought Vaati would help him, even if just a bit. He rolled out of the way of another charge, knowing that this battle would be exhausting.

* * *

><p>There was smoke rising over the walls of Castle Town. We even come upon people fleeing the walls, saying that a pig-like beast was demolishing everything in its path. They said it had come from the castle, chasing after a knight clad in green. Zelda and I decided Ganondorf must have had another form, just like Vaati did.<p>

When we reached a ranch –Lon Lon Ranch I believe- on the outskirts of town, I finally turned to Zelda. She would not like this at all.

"I think you should stay here."

"No," she said, walking right past me.

I stared for a second before moving to catch up with her. "If both Link and you are there…"

"You are not going alone, Eivie."

I opened my mouth, but she silenced me with a glare.

"Do you really think that you can fight off Vaati alone _and _get Link to safety? You heard what those people were saying. There is a… It is very likely Link will be injured. I will help Link escape since you seem so adamant about fighting Vaati."

I did not respond right away. She had a point. "Fine," I mumbled. "You will escape with Link and I will distract Vaati. I told Gomess to give the key to Link, so hopefully he listens to my orders." I glanced down at my hand, the nails still lengthened and dark violet. "Then it will be up to you and Link to defeat Vaati."

She nodded in response. The silence between us was back. I had… not been particularly pleasant as we waited for the Zora to return with the key. I did not think that they would actually give us the key. I had told Zelda that I sensed a few Poes around. I had told Zelda that we should just steal the key with the ghosts' help. That suggestion combined with my threats before had not sat well with her.

We made it to the eastern gate of the town after a few more minutes of walking. The gate was open, perhaps from the people fleeing, or monsters coming and going. The smell of smoke and dirt was stronger once we entered. The cobblestone street was torn apart, long gouges carved into the ground. A few buildings had fallen while others were missing sections of their walls. The beast Ganon must have been as large as Vaati's bat form considering all of the damage.

The streets were oddly quiet, the only sound echoing through were metallic clicks and shrieks. Swords were clashing outside the castle if I had pinpointed the location correctly. Once we were a street away from the courtyard leading into the castle, Zelda summoned a bow made from light magic.

When reached the end of the street, we kept in the shadow of the building. As we were about to peek around, there was a scream. I had to fight running around the corner as the agonized screaming continued. It took a second to register that it was not Link's voice. No, it was deeper. I finally dared a peek around the wall.

Ganondorf was on his knees, Link's sword stabbed through the Gerudo's chest. Link stumbled back as he pulled his sword out. His clothes were torn, muddied, and, in places, red with blood. As one arm lowered his sword, he used the other hand to grasp at a wound. He stared at the body now on the ground before him.

The wind picked up and suddenly Vaati was beside Link, shoving the knight out of the way. A barrier formed around him and the corpse. Vaati held out his hand. Light began to erupt from Ganon's body, and soon became too bright to see. The only sound I could hear was Vaati's crazy laughter ringing out. Just as quickly as the barrier and light had formed, they dissipated. Vaati… Vaati now had golden horns protruding from his head. His hat had disappeared, but the red gem remained and was now centered between his horns. His eyes no longer appeared human; instead his red eyes seemed to glow.

I stood paralyzed. I was not just his appearance. I could _feel_ the power he had. From him, I could feel an eerie aura of… of evil. There was no other word to describe that nauseating, crushing power he now had surrounding him.

Link had stared in horror, and was only now beginning to pull himself off of the ground. Vaati had turned towards him, ready to take a second piece of the Triforce.

A streak of light hit Vaati squarely in the chest, knocking him back. Zelda ran past me, her bow in hand. She made it to Link's side and was helping him to his feet.

"I see you have arrived," Vaati grumbled as he looked at his chest. He had not even been wounded, only his clothes had been torn. He grinned wickedly. "How convenient that the remaining pieces have been delivered to me." He looked my direction. "Why thank you, Eivie. Perhaps you are not completely useless."

I bit my lip, and held my ground. My hands were shaking so I balled them into fists.

"Stay there, and I may be able to overlook your disobedience this one last time." He focused on Link and Zelda as they tried to sneak off.

Zelda shot another arrow at Vaati. The gleaming arrow was caught in a vortex and flung to the side. As Link lifted his sword, Vaati aimed a blast of magic at them. The energy hit them, exploding with enough force that it ripped dirt and stone from the ground. As the dust cleared, I could see Zelda holding her hands up, the remains of a barrier shattering. Zelda was breathing heavily. Link looked ready to pass out from the earlier fight. Vaati seemed to be having the time of his life. I needed to do something. Anything. I slowly raised my shaking hands.

Vaati was charging another blast of red energy. I took a step forward, then steadied myself. The blue flames of my jinx spell fanned out over the area, surrounding Vaati. It was enough to break his concentration on his current spell. While he snarled and turned toward me, I ran forward.

The jinx had not stopped him from using magic. His hand glowed bright blue as he sent another spell at me. I turned incorporeal and dodged a second before I was struck. The spell hit the ground, turning the grass to stone.

"Eivie!" Vaati growled. He summoned several sentries before going to attack the fleeing Zelda and Link. The two were still only a few streets away.

The sentries all fired searing red lasers in my direction. One grazed my leg. Even while I was a ghost his magic could affect me. I searched the ground while trying to dodge the dancing lasers as they moved back and forth. A knight's bloodstained sword was the closest. Before grabbing the weapon, I sent out another wave of flames. The lasers momentarily stopped, allowing me to become physical and pick up the sword. I slashed apart the two nearest sentries before the barrage started again.

I blocked the first laser with the sword. Heat traveled down the weapon, the area under the laser turning red and ready to melt. I heard another explosion and Link scream for Zelda. With a growl I sent another jinx spell at the sentries. Then I looked over my shoulder to see what happened.

Zelda's hands were burned, her barrier not shielding them from the whole blast. Link was trying to pull her behind him as Vaati prepared another attack. The narrow street they were in gave them no way to hide. They could only run forward with no hope of dodging Vaati's magic. I was not close enough to take a swing at him. The jinx would probably not surprise him another time. I glanced at the sword in my hand. Hopefully the Death Sword's strength remained.

I raised the sword and took a step forward, throwing it with all of my strength. The blade flew the air, imbedding itself in Vaati's back. His spell backfired, catching him in a fiery blast. He fell to his knees. Link and Zelda took off running.

Vaati coughed as he stood back up. The sword fell from his back and clattered against the cobblestone. He laughed quietly a few times as he turned to face me. His eyes were glowing with ire. The sentries disappeared.

When I tried to run, he teleported in front of me and tackled me to the ground. His hands were soon around my throat.

"You could have had everything if you chose me," he snarled. "So why them? Why chose the two that cannot save you? The two that will inevitably die and be reborn without a single memory of you? I could have helped you!" He gritted his teeth, squeezing my neck tighter as he slammed my head against the ground.

"They… They…" I tried to pry his hands off, lightheadedness setting in. "Will win. They're… my friends…" I coughed. "And… I'm already… dead." It was too hard to speak more.

"Damn it, Eivie," he hissed as he removed one of his hands. "I should have killed you." His fist crashed into the side of my face, causing me to yelp. "I should have killed you the moment I regained my memory instead of clinging onto that human side's affections."

As he raised his hand again, I used a jinx spell while I became a ghost. I passed through him and ran to the other side of the courtyard. I became visible again as I reached for a Bokoblin's cleaver. A gust caught me and slammed me into a wall, knocking the air from my lungs. I stumbled to my feet, bracing myself against the wall as I coughed up blood.

He teleported in front of me again, grabbing my shoulder with one hand. He pushed his arm against my neck to pin me against the wall. I saw a flash of blue light forming. Before he got the chance to turn me to stone, I escaped by becoming incorporeal. I only made it a few steps when the blast of another spell hit me. I fell over, becoming visible again.

I screamed when I tried to stand before falling back down. My legs were burnt and bloody. He stood a few feet away, staring down at me coldly.

"Beg for your life. Beg for me to spare you."

"No." I smiled before coughing up more blood. "Kill me like you threatened to do all of those times."

He raised his hand, charging another blast of magic. He never looked away from me. I knew he was waiting for me tell him to stop. He wanted an excuse to stop, for me to plead to him.

When the spell was complete, the glowing red orb of energy flew towards me. It hit the ground in front of me, shattering the stone to pieces. The impact sent me flying through the wall of a nearby building. My ears were ringing from the explosion; I do not know if I was screaming or not.

I was still alive, lying on the floor of that building, bleeding from various gashes from the sharpened stone and the shattered wood. Everything felt broken. It ached to breathe. Every muscle refused to move. My vision was already clouding around the edges. So I gave in, closing my eyes.

"_Pathetic human."_

**A/N- I'm done with finals and had time to work on this finally! I tried to describe a slightly more human version of Vaati's reborn form. This was not thoroughly edited either. I don't have much else to say other than that the end is coming. Thank you all for reading and I hope you stick around! **

**Joystick Gamer- And hopefully the action has commenced! Thank you for reviewing again!**

**Guest- I always happy to hear people are enjoying my story! Thank you for the review! **


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Vaati stared after her body as she was flung through the wall of building. He had overestimated how powerful that blast would be. Even though it had not directly hit her… And after the first scream she went silent. Had he… killed her, then?

As he took a step forward, something slashed apart his shoulder. He reached for his arm, blood running through his fingers. He caught sight of the Bokoblin's sword that Eivie had tried to grab as the weapon zoomed towards the building.

"I will… not die… that easily," Eivie's voice rasped out. She floated out from the wreckage of the building. Large splinters of wood were stabbed through her torso, and her legs and arms burnt and bloody. Her skin had paled. Horns now rose out of her head.

It was no longer her. He had pushed her beyond what his spell could control. "Death Sword," he said, removing his hand from his shoulder. The wound had already closed. One piece of the Triforce had already proven so powerful.

It swung the sword, his blood spattering onto the ground. "Sorcerer." The horned ghost came closer, stopping when it was a few feet away. The ghost studied him for a few moments before saying, "I am not foolish enough to battle a creature like you." It dropped the sword before it went to work pulling out the chunks of wood stuck in its side.

Vaati did not respond right away and watched as the monster pulled at the impaled skewers. Even though the creature tried to hide its discomfort, he could see its face twitch at every movement and hear it draw a sharp breath before every pull. It was in no condition to fight him _before_ he had the Triforce.

"I have a proposition, sorcerer," the ghost said after removing the largest splinters.

Vaati scoffed. "What could you have to offer?"

"The human had some _interesting_ final thoughts concerning your plans." It smiled, its sharpened teeth visible. "I could share what I know, for a price."

Vaati looked over the creature again. It would be no problem to finish it off, especially if it stayed in Eivie's spent body. It was entirely possible Eivie had knowledge of where the knight and princess had went. As long as the Death Sword did not want something outrageous, the extra information would be useful. "I will humor you," he said. "What is your price?"

The creature laughed a few times before it growled in pain. "Damn body is pathetic," it hissed quietly. It regained its composure and continued. "I wish for the Arbiter Grounds, the prisoners and guards included." It smiled at whatever it had in mind. "What a fortress the place is. Jahalla's tree is nothing in comparison to what the Arbiter Grounds could be in my control."

"An interesting request," Vaati muttered, looking to the east. The Arbiter Grounds had once been a temple of the Gerudo's goddess, but, upon being taken by Hyrule, become a prison. It housed nothing special, to his knowledge. The only odd part of the request was the prisoners and guards, although it was hardly worthy of questioning. He did not care what happened to them. There was apparently no reason _not _to give it to the Poes. "You may have the Arbiter Grounds if you share what you know."

"She was _very_ concerned about a set of silver keys."

"Keys?" Vaati glared at the monster, barely reigning in his anger. It thought that keys were important enough to use as leverage?

It gave a crooked smirk. "She was right. You had forgotten about them."

Vaati opened his mouth to yell at the ghost before an old memory resurfaced. "How many keys, exactly?" He hoped that he was not remembering _those keys_.

"Three."

"Did she have them? Or does the knight?" He began pacing back and forth. The Great Fairies' keys that had teleported Link to his palace the last time. He had not even considered that they might still exist.

"That knight had picked one up during the fight with Jahalla. The blonde girl has one. The human sent Gomess to fetch the remaining one."

Zelda and Link were together as well. Unfortunate, but they were relying on the Poe for the final key? Had Eivie trusted that creature to such a degree? Vaati stopped his pacing. Even if it was a slim chance the ghost actually gave Link the key, he needed to act. He could not let his carelessness ruin his plans. Not this time.

Eivie… The Death Sword cracked its neck obnoxiously, bringing his attention back to the creature. An idea came to mind then. It remained in Eivie's body, now _that_ could not be ignored. His palace should already be above the desert. He just needed to buy some time to prepare.

"Out of curiosity, what are you planning to do with the Arbiter Grounds?"

It rose an eyebrow, before it grinned wickedly. "A fortress and a horde of my own," it answered. "Does that play well with your plans, sorcerer?"

"Indeed it does."

* * *

><p>"Zelda," Link huffed, already slowing his pace. "Let's stop for a sec." He hadn't had a decent break in days. Not to mention he had done nothing but run around all day. He must have done twenty laps around Hyrule with Ganon chasing him, and now he had just run out to the lake. "Thank you," he muttered when Zelda stopped.<p>

"Link, I have a very important question." Her voice was grave. "Did you keep that key you found?"

"Key?" He thought for a moment, coming up with nothing. "What key?"

"A silver one. Eivie thought you picked it up during the battle with Jahalla."

A key he'd found during that battle? It sounded vaguely familiar now. It had been around that Ghini's neck. "I think so," he said while swinging his bag in front of him. He dug around for a few seconds before he found the cold metal key. He held it up, asking "This one?"

"Oh, thank the Goddesses." Zelda then pulled at a string around her neck, which revealed another key that had been hidden under her dress. She offered it to him, and Link took it with a raised eyebrow. "They can be used to reach Vaati's palace, apparently," she explained. "However, a third key is needed. Eivie had sent Gomess to retrieve it and then deliver it to you."

Link held the keys out in front of him, trying to piece together how they would get him into a floating palace. Magic was just too bizarre sometimes. "Do you think Gomess will actually give me it?" He broke the string and slipped the other key onto it. He then tied it back together and hung it around his neck.

"That is debatable, but Eivie must have thought it was the best solution. If you do not receive the key soon, you will probably have to find it in Death Mountain yourself." She looked back the way they come, frowning. "The palace was heading towards the desert, I believe. It… may be best for you to travel there. If you do actually get the key from Gomess, it may be best to use them near the palace."

"Yeah," he sighed looking back. "It's fine. You need to go back. I get it."

"Thank you, Link. I just… cannot leave Castle Town in such a state. I am… I am likely the Queen now. They need someone to help put things back together after all of this."

Link nodded his head again. "I'll defeat Vaati and put an end to this. I have to." There was a brief silence before Link asked, "Zelda, could you… check and see if my dad and Eivie are all right?"

"Of course, Link," she said softly. "We can do this. You can do this. I believe in you." She embraced him, the hug lasting only a few seconds before she stepped away. Her determination shown in face as she walked around him, back to the ruined Town.

"Thanks, Zelda," Link muttered as he took his first steps on the journey to the desert.

* * *

><p>Dawn was breaking once more when he set foot into the desert. Zelda had been right; the palace was looming high above in the pink-orange glow on the horizon. Link figured he would just walk towards the palace, but, as he got closer, he could see something below it. The tower cut into the sky, reminding Link that the desert was home to the infamous prison: the Arbiter Grounds.<p>

It was suspicious. Vaati had chosen to have his palace above the prison, though Link could not really think why. It was a secure place, staffed with Hyrulean _and_ Gerudo guards. Unless Vaati had gotten rid of them, the prisoners should still be just that: prisoners. Vaati would not release a bunch of humans, would he? He seemed fonder of his monsters. Link had no idea, but continued forward anyway. In the off chance the prison was untouched, it would be better to wait inside instead of in the coming desert heat.

When the sun was fully in the sky, he could see some discouraging signs. Smoke rose from the prison. And, when he drew closer yet, he could hear shouting and metal clashing. With that, he ran forward. The shouting had to be people. If they were facing monsters or convicts, he had to help any of the guards there. An ear-piercing scream made him sprint faster.

He skidded to a halt in the sand and stood in a mild horror. At least twenty Stalfos were gathered in front of the entrance. Their armor and Hyrulean crested shields glimmered in the sun as they moved. Four ReDead stood behind the Stalfos, screeching periodically. In the center of the crowd of undead were two women, one in purple and the other in red. Both had bright orange hair. Their curved scimitars were slashing at the monsters, but the creatures continued to attack relentlessly.

With the focus still on the Gerudo women, Link set to work stabbing monsters in the back before they noticed him. One by one the monsters fell. Link was drenched in sweat by the time the last Stalfos clattered to the ground in a pile of bones and armor.

"Who are you?" The woman in red stepped forward, scimitar pointed at him.

Link lowered his arms to his side slowly. "My name is Link. I'm not here to make any trouble." He waited as the red clothed woman stared him down, her veiled face not revealing much emotion. Once she lowered her weapon, Link figured he could try speaking. "Who are you two? Do you know what happened here?"

"Narri," the purple clothed woman answered.

The other gave a quick look at Narri before nodding. "Ruya. What are you doing here?"

"I…" Link trailed off, thinking how insane saying he was on a quest to kill a demon sounded. He pointed to the palace above the prison. "I came to get into that palace, to defeat the sorcerer that lives there."

Narri nodded, actually believing the story. Link's surprised face made her chuckle once. "Before they attacked, that palace showed up. The place reeks of dark magic. No doubt something needs to be defeated up there."

"They? You mean the Stalfos?" Link looked up at the palace again. Had Vaati summoned them?

Ruya shook her head. "The Poes came first. I had been guarding the perimeter." She pointed to a wall Link had passed on the way over. "The sky had been bright with all of the lanterns. The Poes disappeared into the Grounds. I saw there was nothing I could do, so I went back to the village to tell them what happened."

"When we returned it was silent. The Stalfos flooded out when we approached the door." Narri bent down and picked up one of the shields. She traced over the Hyrule crest. "Whatever evil has taken hold here managed to kill the guards and turn them into these creatures. I fear what awaits inside will be much worse. If all of the prisoners are also now monsters, we face a difficult fight, Ruya."

"I know. Best we stop wasting time." She walked towards the entrance to the complex. "I would rather be out before dark."

"I agree," Narri said, dropping the shield. From the ground, she retrieved a stuffed bag with what looked like ropes hanging out before she walked to Ruya's side.

"Wait." Link took a few steps closer. "I could probably help. I was going to go to the top of this place." Being up higher sounded logical when trying to enter a floating palace. He could wait there for Gomess and the key. "I could help you get where you need to go."

"It's up to you, Narri." Ruya crossed her arms over her chest.

"You seem capable enough against physical creatures. Have you any experience battling Poes? They are quite different from other monsters because of their particular skills."

"Yes." Link cringed slightly. "I've fought quite a few."

Narri nodded. "Ruya, I can sense what is in there. It would be best to bring him with, especially considering he knows how to battle Poes already."

"Yeah," Ruya muttered. "Just don't go running out screaming like the rest of those Hyrulean guards did. Lot 'f good it did them." She looked at the piles of bones.

"I won't run away," Link stated flatly.

With that settled, the three walked down the stone stairs leading into the prison. They walked down a long hallway, torches hung on the wall every couple of steps. The hall went into a larger room, the stone pillars and fading stonework a reminder the prison had once been a temple. Narri stopped a few steps into the room. Link and Ruya followed suit.

"It's towards the center of the prison." Narri wrapped her arms around herself, looking like she was fighting off a chill. "Lady Aveil was right to send us. No doubt the creature has returned."

"You know what we are facing?" Link asked quietly. The room appeared devoid of monsters, but he did not want to call them out of hiding. Not to mention he already had a bad feeling. If Poes were involved…

"Yes. It'd suddenly left ten or so years ago." Ruya answered. "That Poe had enjoyed terrorizing our tribe, so its disappearance had been a blessing. Too bad its back."

"It seems stronger now," Naari mumbled.

"Did you have a name for the monster?" Link had a bad feeling he already knew.

"We'd taken to calling it Death Sword."

"Death Sword," Link repeated. He had hoped Eivie would be okay, but… Vaati had probably killed her before sending the Death Sword here. The other possibility being that Eivie herself had lead the attack, but Link did not think she would do so of her own will.

"Are you familiar with it?" Narri asked as she moved in front of him. "Have you fought against it in Hyrule? What do you know?"

"I haven't really fought… I've seen what it's capable of but…" Link struggled. He could not explain what had happened to Eivie because he did not understand it himself. She did not share everything about her personal battle with it. "It… it had possessed one of my friends. It…" He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "It could still be using her body."

Narri leaned back, glancing at Ruya. "For how long has she been possessed?"

"I don't know. Years?"

"Years?" Ruya's eyes narrowed. "Can someone even survive that, Narri? I thought they died and turned to ReDead after a day or two?"

"That is the usual case for weaker Poes. I have never heard of something stronger possessing a person." Narri raised an eyebrow at Link. "Had she acted normally?"

"Yes!" Link spat out before he could reconsider. The women both glared because of his loudness. "I mean, she was odd, but she was human. She is not the same person as the Death Sword. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. If there is even a chance she is still alive," he pointed down the next hall, "I want to try and save her."

"There is no-"

Narri hushed Ruya by holding her hand up. "I will see if there is anything we can do, but understand that something like this is not easily done. Two witches of our tribe had once corrupted us _all_ through dark magic. _That_ magic is reminiscent of what is in there right now. That sort of corruption is only fixed through defeating the caster."

Link stared at her silently. He understood what she meant. Even Vaati had been unable to get rid of the Death Sword. Eivie repeatedly said there was no helping her. "I… understand, I guess."

"Good," Ruya snapped. "Let's quit wasting time talking and actually do something." Under her breath she muttered, "Damn magic drivel."

Narri nodded despite giving Ruya a look for her comment. "The creature appears to be growing stronger every passing moment. Curiously, the number of other monsters seems to be decreasing."

"They're probably going to attack the tribe," Ruya said, rolling her eyes. "Which is why we should probably get moving."

Narri and Link fell into line with Ruya as they walked into the hall, the door conspicuously already open. There was no light in the next room, only the torches' dim glow from the entrance. When they stepped foot into the room, Link could hear a strange hissing. A few feet in and Link could feel something crawling on his pants. A lot of small creatures were crawling onto him.

"Ouch! What the?" Ruya cursed again.

"Get back to the other room!" Narri shouted, somehow finding Link's shoulder. She pulled him by the fabric of his tunic back to the hall. As they left the darkness behind, shiny beetles jumped off of his clothes, scuttling back to the shadows.

"What kind of bugs were those?" Ruya shouted, holding her arm. She moved her hand away, showing a large, bloody bite mark.

"They look like scarabs but…" She snagged one of the bugs off of the ground. As she held it, it hissed and snapped its pincers together. Narri was quiet for a second as she stared at the insect in horror. "The Stalfos," she muttered. "Flesh-eating scarabs?"

"But how are there so many in one place?" Ruya interjected.

"What do you mean 'the Stalfos'?" Link questioned. It could not be what he was thinking. That was just… horrific.

"That creature must have summoned them or something." Narri threw the bug onto the floor, smashing it under her foot. "It had the bugs eat them all! The anguish of… No wonder they became monsters! The Death Sword made sure these people felt only anger and fear, hoping to force their souls to remain here as monsters." She ground the insect into the ground.

Link watched as she smeared the bug's guts around on the sandy floor. She was saying that the Death Sword had killed everyone in the prison just to create more Poes and Stalfos and ReDead. It committed a massacre just to make more undead for it to control.

"They don't like light, right? Like normal scarabs?" Ruya asked, already grabbing a torch from its holder on the wall. "We just need to move fast. It's a straight shot to the next room, Green and I can get the door open. Narri," she said, offering the torch, "carry this and keep 'em away as best you can."

Narri took the torch and walked to the front of the group. She held the torch low to the ground. Link and Ruya followed close behind as they reentered the bug infested room. With the light of the torch, the sea of glimmering beetles scattered to the side in a rolling wave of horror. A few still climbed onto their legs, but were easily brushed away and squashed into the ground. They made it to the other side of the room to a heavy door decorated in unrecognizable symbols. While Link and Ruya lifted the door, Narri swept the torch side to side to keep the insects at bay.

Once they were all in the next room, Link and Ruya let the door slam back onto the ground. They were in a large chamber now. Two lines of statues of women sat on either side of the room, leading to four torches on the sides of stairs. The Hylian crest scattered about contrasted with the ancient Gerudo carvings engraved into the stone. The room held no visible monsters.

"The monsters seem to be avoiding us," Narri chimed in. "It's honestly disturbing. It's like the Death Sword is daring us to go to it."

Link was quick to agree. The first thing the Death Sword had done after defeating Jahalla was try to kill him. He got the feeling the creature had a particular dislike for him, maybe because Eivie did not want him hurt. The Death Sword took it as a challenge.

"Whatever," Ruya huffed. She was already walking up the stairs. "It'll just make it easier to reach it. Follow me. This place is a labyrinth if you haven't been here before."

"The amount of monsters here keeps decreasing," Narri muttered again. "Perhaps some people still live and are fighting them off."

Link nodded, hoping that was the case. Even prisoners did not deserve what the Death Sword had done. He went up the stairs, letting Ruya lead them through the prison. In places the stairs were crumbling, and the walls cracked, allowing for sand to seep onto the floor in piles. In areas the ground was slashed apart, probably by the Death Sword itself. There were traps set, a nasty example being a spinning rod with spikes. Ruya commented that it was to prevent escapes, but now they were barring entrance. Link also noticed strange grooves in the walls that he could not identify as useful or mere decoration.

Eventually they came to another stone door. Narri halted and stared, shaking slightly. It was in the next room. Its presence even made Link break into a nervous sweat, his stomach uneasy. It was indeed far worse than Jahalla, perhaps because he had witnessed the degree of the Death Sword's cruelty. Ruya drew her weapon, so Link did the same. He knew something had to be done.

This time Ruya lifted the heavy door open, allowing for Narri and Link to pass through. The door crashed back to the ground when Ruya was through. Narri drew her scimitar, hesitantly stepping forward.

Link only swallowed hard and stared to the center of the room. The Death Sword's weapon was stabbed into the ground, Eivie- or her body at least- was setting on the ground leaning against the sword. She looked like she did after the battle with Jahalla. The curved horns stood out from her head, her skin pale with a tint of blue, her dress torn and bloodied, and her eyes glowing a dim yellow. Before she acknowledged them, she tilted a bottle back, finishing off whatever was inside. She set the glass bottle down next to several others.

"Eivie?" Link walked in front of the two Gerudo as they stood in confusion.

"Stay back," she rasped, holding up a shaking hand. "I will not be in control much longer."

"Eivie, I…" Link was at a loss of what to even say in this situation.

"It plans to leave my body, which will kill me." She began pulling herself off of the ground. Her body shook so badly she needed to support herself against the sword to stay standing. "I want you to promise me something. Consider it my final request, Link." The smile she had was forced and painful.

"Eivie, I'm not just-"

"Link, please just listen. I am past any sort of redemption." She laughed humorlessly a few times, her eyes watering. "I slaughtered them all. The guards. The prisoners. I fed them to flesh-devouring bugs and allowed Poes to smash their heads in. I am soaked in their blood from slashing them apart, from decapitating them, from _worse_."

"That was the Death Sword, not you!"

"It was my body. For now, as long as I live, that _thing_ lives. Please make this easier for everyone. Do not let more people die because of my continued existence." She held her hand over her heart. "Please kill me and end this," she begged. "Kill me before it leaves my body. If you do it now, there will be no fight. It will die with me."

"I'm not going to kill you! You're one of my best friends! I'm not going to just… just give up on you. You're still here! You are still fighting it!"

She smiled again before breaking eye contact. "If I survive this, I will not be the same." She laughed hysterically as she kicked one of the bottles. It flew into a wall, shattering. "Or perhaps I will be _exactly_ the same. There is no escaping my fate. There never was. I will not deny that truth any longer."

"Eivie," Link muttered. He did not understand what she meant.

Her laughter died off. "Promise me you at least defeat Vaati if you will not kill me," she said quietly. "Promise me, no matter what happens when the Death Sword frees itself, that you will go defeat Vaati. Do not waste time seeing if I survive in one form or another. Go straight to the palace and end his attempt to gain the Triforce."

"I…" Link looked away from her for the first time since entering the room. He glanced at the two Gerudo, remembering that they were present. He did not want to just leave her. Sure, Narri and Ruya seemed like good enough people, but they had already seemed wary of Eivie's predicament.

"Link," Eivie said, drawing his attention back to her, "if I manage to survive the Death Sword leaving my body, Gomess will be here to help me. Please, if you will not kill me, go defeat Vaati right after the Death Sword. Promise me this."

"I…" he started again. She trusted Gomess, but could Link? Could he leave a Poe to take care of her? After a moment, he said almost in a defeated tone, "I promise."

"Thank you." She smiled, showing off how sharp her teeth had become with the transformation. She clutched the green pendent on her necklace. "Thank you for everything, Link. No matter how briefly it was, you gave me a chance to feel human. I will be forever grateful for that." A few more tears rolled down her face. "Your friendship meant the world to me. It meant more than I can express in words."

As Link stepped forward, hoping to comfort her, to tell her how much she mattered, she gasped and held up her hand. She laughed as she choked back tears.

"My time is up," she said, grabbing hold of the fabric over her heart. As she coughed, she clutched the fabric tightly. "Fight without fear… or sadness, Link. I was… never meant to be human. You… gave me a chance… to pretend."

Link watched in horror as Eivie fell to her hands and knees, screaming. He could see a symbol on her back glowing, but it did not seem to do anything. Soon an inhuman screech joined Eivie's. From her body, a translucent creature looked to be tearing itself from her body. All the changes that Eivie had gone through seemed to transfer to the ghost, leaving her more human than she had been in years.

Link could only stand and wait to face the creature that had terrorized his friend for so long. He would not let it end like this. He would kill this monster so it could never do this to anyone else. It was time for the Death Sword to be wiped from existence.

Eivie's body fell limp when the ghost had fully left her. Its thin, bone and skin hand grabbed its sword, wrenching it from the ground. The sharp toothed and curved horned monster snarled at Link before rising into the air in a black swirling mist.

"This is where you fall, knight!" it hissed in low, reverberating voice.

Link and the Death Sword raise their weapons.

* * *

><p><strong>AN-The End draws near. The Arbiter Grounds follow Twilight Princess. Poes are spirits of hatred bound to the earth. I figured they were human once, so why not have the Death Sword use hate, fear, and pain to create some more monsters? Yep. That's enough rambling, I suppose. **

**Thank you everyone who have read, favorited, followed, and/or reviewed this. Hope you all like the final chapters. **

**Noal- Glad you like it! I'm irrationally happy now! I like knowing people like this nonsense I type up. Hope this chapter was just as good as the previous. Thank you for reviewing and favoriting/following! **

**Joystick Gamer- I liked writing the last chapter. Eivie **_**finally**_** went after Vaati, which had been something I had planned for a long time. Thanks for reviewing again! **


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"This is where you fall, knight!" it hissed in low, reverberating voice.

Link and the Death Sword raised their weapons. Neither charged forward, instead they sized each other up. Now that the Death Sword was in its true form, it was about twice the size of Link. It could also fly. Link was at the clear disadvantage. He could not risk charging at it now; Eivie was still underneath it, unmoving from what he could tell.

When he took a step to the side, the Death Sword turned in place. Link continued circling, waiting for an opening the Death Sword did not seem willing to give. It was content hovering over Eivie's body.

"Knight, you have caused more trouble than you know," the Death Sword growled. It wanted to give a speech it seemed. "If not for you, I would have been out of that pathetic human _years_ ago. Instead my personality was nearly lost to that sniveling girl because of her stubborn devotion to you." It hissed and swung its sword. It clenched and unclenched its other hand. "And now I am stuck serving that failure of a sorcerer! You even let the Harvester regain his strength after being nearly powerless! You have become the most bothersome thing I have ever encountered." It flung its arms out to the side. "And now I finally am able to tear you apart piece by piece in my own form!"

A blue fireball was sent for his head. Link jumped to the side, rolling away. The fire crashed into the ground, exploding. The stone floor was left with scorch marks. Link stood back up in time to see the Death Sword's blade ready to slam down into Eivie. Before Link could take more than two steps, it swung downwards, crushing the stone beneath it.

A few feet away from the impact, Narri was pulling herself off of the ground. At the last moment she had gotten Eivie out of the way. She dragged Eivie's body towards the wall of the room, before digging through the bag she had brought.

The Death Sword screeched. "You Gerudo will be the next to die!"

It turned away from Narri and Eivie to block Ruya's attack. The force of its sword was enough to send Ruya flying into the opposite wall. While she got back to her feet, Link looked to Narri.

"She still breathes," Narri yelled to him. "I will keep her safe. Weaken the creature while I prepare!"

Link wanted to sigh in relief, but there was no time. Eivie was still alive and he needed to keep her that way. "Prepare for what?" Link shouted back as he sidestepped another blue-flamed spell.

"Just weaken it!" Ruya snapped at him. "No time to explain."

Link took his shield from his back. He would need to draw the ghost in close before attacking. For the moment it was visible and therefore vulnerable.

The Death Sword swayed backwards before it lunged. Link felt pieces of stone hitting him as he rolled away from the ghost's deadly swing. As it tried to wrench its sword from the ground, Ruya charged forward. Her scimitar got in a few good hits on its back. The Death Sword roared as it rose out of reach once more.

"You think that will defeat me?" The Death Sword raised its arms above its head. In an instant the room was aglow from the blue fireball above the phantom.

The bright flames were flung at Link. He recognized it as Eivie's jinx spell. Not wanting to lose use of his weapons for even a moment in this battle, he tried to dodge. Much of him escaped the blast, but the sleeve of his tunic caught fire. He barely patted the flames out before they burned his arm. He looked where the brunt of the attack had hit; the ground was scorched black. He'd seen what Eivie could do with the spell, and burning physical beings was not one of them. The Death Sword was indeed more powerful in its true form.

Before Link recovered from the burning jinx, the Death Sword's blade came for him. The black blade slammed into the ground mere inches away from his foot. Ruya pulled at the fabric of the creature's robes as she climbed onto its back. The Death Sword screeched and hissed as it struggled to shake Ruya off. Link took his opportunity. He jumped into the air, slashing downwards onto its head.

The Death Sword left its weapon and flew back into the center of the room, howling in pain. Ruya had fallen from the ghost's back, and now stumbled to her feet. Link held his shield in anticipation of its retribution.

The monster roared, the sound bouncing around the stone room so loudly Link tried to cover his ears. The Death Sword raised its arms once more. Link prepared for another fire attack. But, then, there was nothing. The monster stopped screaming, but kept its hands above it. Then, though barely there, Link heard a low humming. He thought maybe his ears were just messed up from the Death Swords wail, but, no, it was much worse than that.

A swarm of black bugs gathered above the Death Sword. The ghost cackled as the scarabs dispersed to devour whatever they found. Link stared as the beetles flew forward. He didn't have fire. He couldn't possibly keep them all off of him. The nightmare insects were already landing on him and he had no idea how to fight them off. The Death Sword's raucous laughter rang out as Link pathetically tried to brush the bugs off.

Then, above the hum, he could hear the unmistakable clanks of a lantern. Out of the floor an Imp Poe with a string of skulls appeared. The light of its lantern scared off some of the scarabs, but Link still struggled to brush them away. The Imp Poe made the same moaning and screeching noise it did whenever Eivie had spoken to them. The Poe threw the skulls on the ground. The skulls sprang to life, wings sprouting from them and fire coating them. They darted after the beetles, burning them to ashes.

"How dare you interfere!" The Death Sword raised one arm, its sword flying into it. "Worthless creatures!"

The Poe in front of Link screeched out something he could not understand before it sunk back into the ground. While the Death Sword struck down the skulls, Link looked to Eivie. She was laying on the ground, her eyes open, but face blank with unconsciousness. He didn't think she could have called the Poe to help them, but what other explanation was there?

With the final skull shattered, the Death Sword refocused on Link. It swooped down once more. By this point, Link knew exactly what the ghost was doing and rolled out the way flawlessly. While he spun on his heel, hoping to catch the Death Sword as it worked its sword out of the ground, the Imp Poe returned. Its scythe struck the back of the Death Sword's head repeatedly while screeching angrily.

The moment the sword was out of the ground it was slashing apart the helpful Imp's lantern. As the creature faded away with a pained scream, the Death Sword boomed, "Stop interfering, Gomess! Your time will come, troublesome beast!"

Gomess had sent that Poe to help? The dark Poe _had_ been truthful when it had asked Link to kill the Death Sword during Jahalla's battle.

The Death Sword swayed in the center of the room, focus shifting between Link and Ruya. Link held his shield up. So far the attacks had been focused on him, but the monster seemed to be reconsidering.

It lurched back before diving for Link. He prepared to leap to the side. The Death Sword let go of its sword, the weapon flying backwards. Ruya was clipped on the shoulder as she ducked in the last moment. The Death Sword did not retreat or call its weapon back. Instead it grabbed Link's shield, jerking his arm painfully as it lifted him from the ground.

His feet left the floor and the Death Sword continued upwards. The ghost began shaking him from side to side, a pointy toothed smile forming. Link's arm could only take so much abuse, he knew that, but he did not want to lose his shield. He tightened his grip on his sword. It was enjoying waving him about too much to notice. With all the force he could in such an awkward position, he stabbed. His blade sunk in below its ribcage.

The Death Sword dropped him as it retreated back. It held a hand over the oozing wound, its face twisted as it snarled. Then it was gone from sight.

"What?" Link muttered, scanning the room. It couldn't be dead from that. There was no way one stab to the chest would end it.

"Green!" Ruya shouted, catching his attention.

Link looked to her just in time to see the black and red sword floating into the air. He raised his shield, barely catching the sword. His feet slide back slowly with the force and he struggled to keep the sword at bay. Eventually the oversized weapon rose back into the air, returning to the center of the room.

Before Link could even lower his shield it was flying back towards him. He could do nothing except block and dodge the crazed swings. A few times he tried to attack where he thought the creature was, but even the Master Sword proved ineffective against the invisible creature.

The blade jerked back to the center of the room, allowing Link to catch his breath finally. Sweat was dripping down his face, and his arm ached from holding the shield as it was hit. He stared at the weapon as it floated. With it like this, the Death Sword was invincible. He could see no way to hurt it, but there was hope. On the other side of the room Narri was digging in the bag she had.

But, before Narri found what she was looking for, the sword went back to slicing chaotically. Link held up his shield, ready for the next bout of attacks. Instead the black blade slammed into Ruya. She barely had enough time to block the blade with her own sword, avoiding being chopped in half, but the force sent her flying into the wall with a thud. She slid down the wall and onto the ground, dropping her sword from her twitching hand.

"Get ready!" Narri shouted, catching his attention. She stood in front of Eivie's body, in her hand was a piece of paper with some script on it.

Link turned his attention back the unmanned weapon in time to see it flying for Narri. Before it could reach her, the piece of paper glowed with a bright white light and then sped towards the black sword. The paper sizzled and spat out energy on contact. Within seconds the Death Sword was howling as it became visible once more, Narri's spell still shocking it. The Death Sword reached for the paper but its hand was repelled by a shimmering barrier. It reminded Link of some of Zelda's light magic, in a way.

"How dare you!" the Death Sword screeched, raising its blade.

Link sprinted forward. Its back was to him and it seemed slowed by the zapping spell on it. As the Death Sword began to swing downwards, the Master Sword slashed across its back. The Death Sword spun around, snarling. Narri's spell arched from the sword to its wound. Even though it tried to hide its pain and exhaustion, Link could tell how weak the creature was becoming. A few more hits and it would be gone.

The monster raised its free hand, summoning another gathering of blue fire. It released the spell, it hurdling towards Link. He rolled to the side, the spell exploding. Another fireball crashed next to him, the heat almost enough to catch his clothes aflame. The Death Sword chased him around the room with the burning jinx spells. Then it raced forward to slice him apart when it looked like he was tiring.

Link caught the edge of the blade on his shield, causing the huge weapon to slide off and crash into the floor. Before the Death Sword had a chance to pull away, he stabbed his sword into its shoulder. While the monster roared and pulled its sword from the ground, he swung again, hitting it squarely on the head between its horns.

It screeched, the sound nearly deafening Link in one of his ears. The Death Sword pulled its sword from the ground, retreating to the center of the room. It hovered only a few inches from the ground.

"This… will not be… the end," the Death Sword rasped. "I will not die. I am… the strongest. I am… death itself. I cannot…" It looked to Eivie, its face twisting. "You… and the Harvester… are to blame. You… stole some of my power!" It began to rise into the air, screaming in absolute fury and blind rage.

Before the Death Sword could attack, Link sunk his sword into the creature's chest, the blade running it through. It wrapped its boney hands around the Master Sword, trying to pull it out. It screamed in agony as Narri's spell targeted the gaping, oozing wound. The Death Sword flew into the air, Link and the Master Sword falling to the ground.

The Death Sword screeched. It dropped its black blade, the weapon imbedding itself into the ground below. The horrific howl slowly died as the creature faded from sight.

Link stayed on the ground, staring at where the creature had once been. It was gone. He'd won.

"Ruya?" Narri called out, scrambling to her feet.

"I'm fine," Ruya grumbled, stepping past Link. She held her shoulder, the blood smearing onto her hand. "What do we need to do?"

Narri pulled out a bundle of ropes and a few metal stakes from her pack. She pointed to the sword. "Tie it down, then I can put the talismans on."

"Why?" Link asked as he stood up. He grabbed his sword off of the ground. "It's dead." He continued walking towards Eivie. Even though he knew Gomess had survived the same way, he just wanted to believe that the Death Sword was finally and truthfully gone for good.

"It's not that simple. A Poe's soul can linger and attach to objects." She took out a stack of more pieces of paper. Ruya had the first rope already fixed in place, so Narri set to work tying on talismans and casting the spell she had used earlier. "It is safer to seal its preferred object just in case it tries to return."

He knelt down next to Eivie. She was breathing, though it was shallow and rapid. Her body was covered in half-healed wounds and dried blood, but human. He wanted to take her somewhere to get help, but he had said he would go defeat Vaati. He took her hand, her skin cold, and held it loosely. He did not want to leave that Poe to take care of her. He could not risk taking her anywhere near Vaati.

"Link," Narri spoke up. "We will watch over her. Just know that she is in poor condition and… I fear the Death Sword could try to possess her again, if it isn't already."

"You think it's already trying?" Link looked over Eivie again, not seeing any obvious sign the monster was possessing her.

"There's just… something off about her right now. Like a monster is there, but," Narri squinted and stared suspiciously, "not there. It could be the Death Sword, though it doesn't quite seem the same. I don't know how to explain it. I just think we should wait and see."

"Could you stop the Death Sword if it _is_ trying?" Link asked, face stern. "If I leave her here, you would help her all you can?"

"Yes, just know that the odds are still against her. Whatever happened, she was gravely injured before the Death Sword left her. Even if the creature does not re-possess her, she may die of her wounds." Narri's face softened. "I'll try to help her as best I can, okay? Just go kill that demon," she said, pointing upwards. "Now that the Death Sword is weakened so much, I can feel that thing's evil," she muttered.

Link nodded. For a second longer he held onto Eivie's hand, hopeful she would pull through. She had been through a lot, so she could probably make it through this too. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for. He let go, her hand sliding out of his as he stood up.

"I'll be back, okay? I'm not going to forget you," he mumbled to her. Link turned to Narri, remembering to warn her. "A black Poe with a scythe will probably show up. Don't worry, he shouldn't cause any trouble. Eivie said he'd help her." When Narri raised an eyebrow he added, "He, Gomess, was the one that sent the other Poe during the fight. I don't know why, but he seems like he is set on helping us, or Eivie at least."

"All right, then," Narri said skeptically as she returned to fixing talismans to the ropes around the sword. "We will return to our village, with your friend, after we finish sealing this thing. It's nearby and should be easy enough to find."

Before Link could say anything, Ruya added, "If you're still going to the roof, go out the door we came in and go left. After that just go up. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Thank you," Link said. "Thank you for helping Eivie and me."

He walked towards the door, glancing one last time at Eivie. It was… just so hard to believe this had all happened to them. He could remember how awkward she was when they met, how she was interestingly odd. He remembered all the times they would meet in the castle gardens with Zelda. He even remembered Vaati when he had just been that jerk Wendel. But then it all came apart and everything changed. Eivie convinced herself she was a monster. Vaati became a demon bent on destroying Hyrule. Zelda had to step up and become Queen after Ganon's plot. And, Link, he had to become a hero. They'd been played a cruel fate, but he was determined to overcome it.

Link nodded one last time to Ruya and Narri before he lifted the stone door out of the way. From there, he went left to a room with golden statues and many flights of stairs. There were Stalfos wandering the stairs, but he continued upwards, the monsters far weaker than what he had just battled.

Eventually Link found himself in a gigantic, open room with a white, stair-lined, pillar in the center. There was already sand filling the room, covering the floor in dunes. He walked towards the pillar, hoping that these were the last set he would have to climb. Once he was at the top of the pillar, he saw a door. Before he could walk across the short connecting bridge, a shadow moved, causing him to reach for his sword.

"Knight," the shadow greeted, rising from the ground to reveal it to be Gomess. He was different from the last time Link had saw him. Gomess was now the same size as Link, and his lantern was hung around his neck. "As requested by Eivie," he said, reaching under the dark cloak he wore, "the final silver key." The ghost held the key out for Link to take.

Link hesitantly reached out, the monster dropping the key into his hand.

The ghost moved the cloak out of the way, showing that he had a bunch of bottles with him. Most were filled with something purple and mist-like, but the one Gomess grabbed was certainly a red potion. "I will personally see that the Poes are removed from this place." The Poe chuckled stealing a look at the bottles around his waist. "They will serve us well."

"What about Eivie?" Link stared at the monster as he took the red potion from him.

"Oh, monstrous Eivie will be well cared for." The ghost gave an unnerving grin. "That one is rather resilient."

Link did not know how to respond to the ghost. Instead he looked past Gomess, to the door leading, hopefully, outside. Gomess smiled one last time before he sunk back into the floor and out of sight.

With that, he had all he needed to confront Vaati. Link walked forward and through the door. He was outside, the sun baring down harshly. He grimaced when he looked to side. More stairs to climb. However, once he was at the very top of the tower, he became a bit nervous.

Link held the keys out in front of him, wondering how they would get him into the floating palace above. Directly following that thought, the keys began to glow brightly. Link was forced to blink, and when he opened his eyes he was no longer on the tower. The deep purple and dark gray stonework proved that. He was outside of the palace, on the balcony leading to the ballroom. The very same room he had left from just the other day.

He put the keys back around his neck on his make-shift necklace. Then he took a deep breath before he marched up to the doors leading in. It was time to battle Vaati, and hopefully regain Hyrule's peace in the process.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- And with that, the Death Sword is defeated. Or, rather, sealed, because the story is pre-Twilight Princess. I wanted to give a reason why that sword and monster were there. Narri, I suppose is some sort of shaman-witch-something magic in her tribe, so she was sent to seal it. And that Gomess, when I made him I did not expect him to stick around so long. Well, off to Vaati and the final chapters (perhaps even chapter)! **

**Thank you all for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing!**

**MrsTippet- Thank you! It's pretty random where I stop chapters (to a point) so I'm glad to hear that's working decently. And, wow, favorite fic? Thank you for reviewing! **

**Ayako Zetra- Oh, Eivie... I am a jerk with my cliff-hangers and I love it. Thank you for reviewing! **


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Link leaned into the door, shoving against it with his shoulder. The grand doors leading into the palace groaned as they slowly swung open. Then Link took his sword and shield in hand, carefully scanning the room, unsure what to expect. The place had been teeming with Darknuts when he left, but now the large, forgotten room was devoid of the armored creatures.

However, Link did not relax, but instead straightened his back and clenched his jaw. Vaati stood waiting on the other side of the room. The sorcerer still looked inhuman, the golden horns and red eyes gleaming maliciously. They both took a few steps forward, Link expecting attack, but Vaati appearing unnaturally calm.

"The Death Sword appears to have failed," Vaati commented off-handedly. "What a shame it had not killed you instead of Eivie."

"She's still alive," Link snapped.

Vaati's face twitched. "Not for much longer, I suspect. Without the Death Sword she is a merely a frail, gravely injured human. _She chose this,"_ he growled, glaring at Link. "Her precious humans were all that mattered, so she chose to fight against the only person capable of saving her."

"You're the reason she's nearly dead!" Link yelled as he tightened his grip on his sword. "You keep looking for someone else to blame but you're the one that attacked her! You are the one that nearly killed her, that awakened the Death Sword!"

This made Vaati break his façade and snarl, "I gave her _every_ opportunity, but she still foolishly chose _you!_" A sudden whirlwind filled the room, whipping his hair around wildly. "I gave her so many chances yet she rejected them _every time_ because she wished to protect you. She chose her own dammed fate. She _knew_ her death was inevitable the moment she betrayed me." He growled, summoning a sword from thin air. "But she _still_ chose _you_!"

Link hesitated, almost taking a step backwards. Vaati almost seemed jealous, like Link had stolen Eivie from him. It was just so odd to consider Vaati have any emotions for someone other than himself. Stranger, yet, was Vaati showing it outwardly. But, like him, Vaati had been Eivie's friend before all of this. It was easy to forget that Wendal and Vaati were the same person. He had once been human, or at least more human than he was now.

"That doesn't make what you did any better," Link eventually said. He was going to say more, but Vaati interrupted with a laugh.

"There is no purpose in trying to place blame. Words will not solve a feud that has spanned centuries." Vaati's face became blank once more. He held up his sword. "Let us try to kill each other once more. It is what we are good at."

Link wordlessly nodded and held up his sword and shield, ready to get this over with. The two stepped to the side, carefully watching the other's moves. Link figured that Vaati's sword was more for show than anything; he'd never seen him actually use a sword. Link waited for the magic-trickery to begin.

Vaati was the first to strike. He lunged forward, slashing diagonally. Link spun on his heel in time to block with his shield. As Link moved to attack, Vaati was already taking another swing. Link held his sword up to parry, only to be knocked off balance by a sudden gust. The blade nicked his shoulder as he tried to avoid the slash.

Vaati smirked when Link stumbled back a step. "You are pathetic compared to you past incarnations," he laughed, the mocking grin fixed in place, "while _I_ now hold more power than you can even imagine. This will be even simpler than I thought."

He charged forward again, their swords clashing. They pushed against each other, blue and red eyes glaring, neither giving any ground. The sorcerer gave a slight, curved smile before he disappeared from sight. Link stumbled forward, trying to stay on his feet. He expected a blow from behind, and spun on his heel.

Vaati appeared to his side, his sword biting into Link's arm. Link managed to swing his sword through the pain, but it was more of an attempt to get the sorcerer to back up. The gash seared as warm blood ran down his arm, dripping onto the floor. He tried to hold up his shield, the pain making it difficult.

"You are positively weak." Vaati sneered, swinging his sword to shake off the blood. "I do not even need the Triforce to kill you. Even Eivie put up more of a fight."

"Shut up!" Link yelled back, charging forward.

Their swords clashed together once more, falling back into a stalemate as they shoved against each other, hateful glares in place. Link leaned forward, trying to see if Vaati would give, but to no avail. Link then went to his second plan.

Link lurched forward, smashing his head into Vaati's, catching the sorcerer off guard. Vaati stumbled back a step in surprise. Before Vaati had a chance to recover, Link stepped forward, kicking Vaati in the shins with enough force that he fell. Link's sword cut into the downed sorcerer, slashing into his chest. Vaati blasted Link away with a powerful gust as he stood back up.

Vaati clutched his chest, blood seeping out of the wound and staining his purple clothes red. He snarled as he looked back to Link. Vaati let go of the gash to reveal the bleeding slowing, his body already regenerating. Link figured as much, having seen Eivie throw a sword into the sorcerer. It was a bonus that the Master Sword seemed a bit more effective than that regular sword had been.

Vaati suddenly vanished from sight, sending Link into a panic. Link spun around, waiting for the sorcerer to appear and stab at him again. The attack never came, but the maniacal laughter was a sure sign some misfortune was about to hit Link.

Just as Link found the location of the cackling, a blast of energy hurdled towards him. The brunt of the blast was caught by Link's shield, knocking him back and wrenching his already injured arm. As he gave a pained grunt, Vaati was already a few steps in front him, his sword raised.

When Vaati brought down his sword, Link moved to the side and caught the guard of Vaati's sword. Knowing it may be his only opportunity, Link whipped his sword upwards, pulling the sword from Vaati's grip. The weapon clattered as it hit the wall and fell to the floor. Before a bewildered Vaati could escape, Link took a swing. It came moments too late. Vaati stepped back, the tip of the sword cutting shallowly into his cheek and slicing off a chunk of lavender hair.

He wiped the blood off his face, anger burning in his eyes. "I have had enough of you," he spat out. "This farce is over!"

A vortex of wind formed around Vaati, tearing apart the room. Link ducked out the way as a statue was thrown into the air. Only seconds later the wind disappeared abruptly. Link refocused on the sorcerer, seeing just what had happened.

Vaati now hovered above the ground. His eyes were now fully red and monstrous. Even his demeanor seemed more malevolent and ruthless. The center of his chest became a large, glowering eye. Only remnants of a human appearance remained now.

"You seem scared, little knight." Vaati swept his arm in front of him, seven sentries appearing in puffs of purple smoke. "This is where you meet your end."

Without pause Vaati began flinging spells at Link. The single-eyed bats joined in and chased Link as he tried to avoid being blasted to pieces. There was no way to counter while he was under attack no matter where he went. The bats' were agile enough to avoid Link's attempts to slash them while running. Vaati made sure Link had no chance to catch his breath, or even think, really.

Link blindly ran around a pillar to avoid another energy blast from the cackling sorcerer. He was immediately met by the laser of a sentry, the beam burning a hole in his hat and nearly his head. On the other side of the pillar, a tornado smashed into him, sending him crashing to the floor in the center of the room.

He pulled himself off of the ground, the wound on his arm reopened and fresh bruises shooting pain throughout his body. Before Link could even stand, he saw a bright blue flash. He recognized it and flung himself as far away as he could. In avoiding being turned to stone, he landed directly in front of a sentry. The sizzling beam seared his side as he went to destroy the creature.

Vaati seemed content raucously laughing, the spells stopped momentarily. Link quickly ran behind a pillar. He bit his lip in an attempt to keep from whimpering pathetically, the air itself causing his burn to flare with pain. He reached for the small bottle of red potion, glad the ghost had provided one. He needed it for there to be any hope of him defeating Vaati. Link popped the cork off of the bottle, drinking the concoction in one go. It took the edge off of the pain, but that was about it.

"Have you resorted to hiding?" Vaati taunted. "The Goddess' chosen, the epitome of courage. What a blatant lie that is."

Link turned the bottle over in his hand while listening to where the sorcerer was.

"Perhaps that is why Eivie is near death. Her precious savior failed not only his Goddesses but her as well."

He had to only be a few feet away now. And, with that comment, Link leaned around the pillar. He threw the bottle as hard as he could. It struck Vaati's face, shattering. Link then charged out, striking Vaati in the chest three times before the sorcerer had the sense to teleport away.

Vaati did not say anything in response. The look on his bleeding face got his point across better than words would have. He started the barrage of explosions again, ordering the sentries to resume their chase.

Link, now used to the attack, danced around the room, slashing at sentries in between laser blasts and Vaati's spells. The red potion had worked wonders on his sore body. Once a majority of the bats were killed, Link went all out and went for the sorcerer while he charged another spell. The gutsy attack paid off. Link landed several more hits before he was forced to move out of the way of a myriad of lasers and explosions.

"Do you think that will stop me?" Vaati snarled, breathing heavily. The storm of explosions resumed, a few more sentries appearing to replace the destroyed ones.

Link ran about the room, noticing that the attacks were more chaotic now. Vaati did not even seem to be aiming. Instead he just blasted out as many spells as he could. Every sentry seemed to be tailing behind Link. Vaati did not seem to care about finesse anymore and just wanted Link dead. If that wasn't an obvious sign of the sorcerer's diminishing condition, Link would be surprised.

With the apparent lapse in concentration, Link decided to try for another attack. He spun on his heel to attack the sentries and break up their group before going for Vaati. The sorcerer was still too busy trying to hit Link with poorly aimed energy blasts to do the smart thing and move away. Link got into position, adjusted his hold on the Master Sword, and jabbed. The sword stabbed into the eye on Vaati's chest.

A scream nearly escaped from the sorcerer's lips as he quickly move back before the sword skewered him. Once he was a few feet away, he found himself no longer able to hover. He nearly fell to his knees into a puddle of blood running out of his chest. Link was sure that would be the end of him, but Vaati suddenly let out an angry scream, wind gathering around him once more.

As before, once the wind stopped, the sorcerer had a different form. He was now the infamous single-eyed bat demon with rows of wings and two clawed arms. Link barely had time to register the change when the demon swept its arm out, summoning a bolt of lightning.

Link dodged the attack narrowly, his hair standing on end from being so close. Next to him another spell exploded, shattering the tiles into sharp shards. He ran for cover behind a pillar to try and buy time to plan. The giant eye did not hesitate to send a spell at the pillar. As the structure crumbled, Link knew the monster no longer cared what it broke. It would destroy the palace before it let Link leave alive. He needed to end it before it collapsed the building on top of them.

Link ran forward with his shield in front of him to catch the debris following the explosions. In a few more steps he would be close enough to attack. He readied his sword.

The ground beneath him broke apart as one of the demon's arms surfaced. The clawed arm snatched up Link. His sword wedged between claws. The arm slammed Link into the ground, knocking his head into the stone floor. Link watched helplessly as he was lifted back into the air and slammed back down. Again. And again. He was lucky that his sword became freed with the movement or the demon would have kept up until Link was dead. Perhaps even longer than that.

Link was able to stab the monster's arm with his sword. It then growled and threw Link into the wall. Everything spun, tilted, and distorted when Link tried to stand and steady himself. He could only haphazardly stumble out of the way more energy blasts. It took a few moments of weaving behind pillars for him to even see straight enough to think of attacking again.

He was exhausted, his head throbbed, and his body ached and bled. He had to get in a final blow or he would be the one defeated. Last time he had been close enough to strike the monster. He just needed to avoid the arm and hope the monster would not change tactics.

With that, he ran forward once more, dodging blasts as they came for him. It took everything he had to keep running towards the hatred-filled eye demon. When he was close to the eye, the monster's arm came out of the ground. Link avoided the claws by jumping into the air. He grasped the hilt of his sword while airborn. Gravity carried him down and his sword's blade sunk into the center of the demon's eye.

Link was tossed to the side as the panicked monster shook. He watched as the demon bat fell to the ground. Blood pooled around the monster and was flicked into the air as it desperately flapped its wings. After a few moments, the monster stilled, seemingly giving up. Then its form seemed to fade away, leaving the blood-stained sorcerer in its place. His legs shook before he finally fell to the floor.

Link stood clutching his arm, his breathing heavy and labored as he stared at Vaati. The sorcerer lay on the ground in a pool of his own blood. He pushed against the ground, trying to stand back up, but for naught. He eventually gave in, resting his head on the stained marble floor.

Quietly, the sorcerer began laughing deliriously. "Eivie, how did you manage this?" he mumbled, a hint of surprise in his tired voice. "At least he did not win everything, I suppose. I wonder if you understand my words now." Vaati chuckled a few more times. "This will not be my end," he whispered, barely audible now. "I'll be back." His body began to fade away from sight. In a few seconds he was gone, only the dark pool of blood remaining. "I swear," his disembodied voice threatened.

Link stood staring blankly at the floor, too tired to even celebrate. He was done with all of this hero nonsense. He was done with having to kill people he knew because of some sacred power he had. What was worse was knowing that nothing would ever be the same again, even after he worked so hard to save Hyrule.

Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He still needed to find a way down from this place. He kept his eyes closed, almost tempted to try falling asleep while standing. It wasn't until he heard chirping birds did he decide to open his eyes. He was in time to see a faint glow still surrounding the keys on his neck.

He looked around, seeing the tall green trees of the forest. He was in a familiar clearing surrounded by partially crumbling walls. In front of his feet was the pedestal he had found the Master Sword. He glanced at the sword in his hand, knowing it was time to return it.

Without hesitation, he stabbed the sword into the pedestal. The tip of the blade glowed softly as it sunk into the stone. Once it was in place, he turned away, ready to leave everything hero-related behind.

He set out for Castle Town, the sun signaling it was late afternoon. He had to drag himself through the trees. A few times he tripped and had to seriously consider not going to sleep then and there. His head pounded from the headache he got after being slammed into the ground. His cuts, burns, and bruises stung with every movement. By this point, he was sure his feet were bleeding from the heavy abuse of two days of traveling, fighting, and running. Exhaustion didn't even begin to describe how horrible he felt.

Despite all of that, he continued on, making it out of the forest as the sun began to slip behind the horizon. He needed to get home, check on things there, see Zelda, resupply, and go back to the desert to see if Eivie was okay. Those were the only things keeping him moving, keeping him from falling over and sleeping.

It was already night by the time he made it to the gates of Castle Town. He paused, looking at the town, amazed he made it. He was so relieved that when he fell over, he closed his eyes and passed out.

* * *

><p>Link slowly opened his eyes, not sure if he was ready to wake up yet. He stared at the ceiling he had seen every time he woke up. It took him a moment to remember that he had not been in his room, or house, for that matter, in a long time. After that thought, he became confused as to how he had gotten there. The last thing he had remembered was seeing the gates.<p>

He lifted himself up, noticing bandages as the blanket fell from his shoulders. He was sore still, but it was obvious he had healed a bit more. He actually felt rested now, which even better than his wounds healing, honestly.

"Link?" an all too familiar voice asked.

"Dad?" Link looked to the doorway, his father standing there. He looked older, now. Maybe because they hadn't seen each other in ages. Link was too stunned to say much more. He had completely believed his father had died when the Gerudo had taken the town.

His father walked into the room and sat on the edge of Link's bed. The corner of his eyes shining with the formation of tears. He gave Link a tight hung before asking, "How are you doing? Your wounds doing all right?"

"Yeah." Link nodded his head, a bright smile on his face. "I just… I thought…"

"You think the Knight Captain would go down that easy?" He chuckled a few times before becoming serious again. "I was one the lucky few the Gerudo took prisoner. They had us down in the castle dungeons. As soon as Zelda learned we were there, she came down to let us out herself. What happened with you?" he asked tentatively. "I haven't really heard much of what happened."

"I defeated Ganondorf, but then Vaati threatened to attack Hyrule. Eivie was… in a bad situation, so I went after her." He stopped, not wanting to go over what happened in the desert. "After that, I went and fought Vaati."

"Never thought that brat would do something like that," he father muttered. "You had to go through a lot recently." He smiled half-heartedly, looking at Link briefly before standing up. "I'll go have someone tell Zelda you're awake. She wanted to hear what happened."

Link nodded his head, and his father left the room. He heard the front door open and close. After a few minutes, Link laid back down with a sigh. He still couldn't believe he was at home and that his father was all right. Maybe that meant things were looking up.

A bit later, the front door opened once more, so Link sat up again. It was only a few seconds before Zelda was standing in the room, running over to Link, and hugging him.

"I was beginning to worry that you would never wake up," she said, her voice muffled because her face was pressed into Link shoulder. "Thank the Goddesses you woke up." She pulled away, standing back up and fixing her dress, a smile on her face.

"How long was I asleep?" Link fought the urge to shout. He thought it had just been one day! He had to go see if Eivie was okay! Link started to slide off of the bed only to have Zelda stop him in a panic.

"You were asleep for three days. Someone found you passed out in front of town that morning. The physicians said you were exhausted and that you shouldn't be moving around for at least a week more."

"I got to go back!" He did not try moving again, but he needed to tell her why he needed to leave. Now. "Back in the desert, Eivie was almost dead. I need to go see if she's okay, or… Or…"

"I will have a messenger go there right away. You are in no condition to travel. Okay?" She waited for Link to nod his head. "Where is she exactly and what happened?"

"Some Gerudo women, Ruya and Narri, said that they would take her back to their village. I met them at the Arbiter Grounds and helped them… defeat the Death Sword after it had wiped out the prison. It had left Eivie, and she was really hurt, but still alive." Link took a breath before he kept rambling incoherently. "The Poes killed all of the prisoners and guards there. I was able to defeat the Death Sword and Narri and Ruya sealed it so it could not return. After that I left Eivie with them so I could go defeat Vaati."

Zelda nodded thoughtfully. "I can have someone sent there immediately. It should not be hard to locate the Gerudo's village." She paused, looking hesitant to continue. "Link, about Vaati…"

"He's dead."

"A-all right." She gave him another quick hug, whispering, "I'm glad you're all right. I'll send someone to desert right away." She leaned back, but kept her hands on his shoulders. "You just rest, okay?"

"Yeah, I will."

"Thank you. I will back to see you later, too." Zelda stood up, smiling one last time before leaving the room.

Link fell back into the bed, staring at the ceiling. There was not much he could do now except wait.

* * *

><p>Link was quick to recover, but Castle Town was still working to rebuild. To the town, Link was the brave hero that had taken on two monsters. They paraded him through town, and he had to play along no matter how he despised the title of hero.<p>

He hadn't won much. He may have been grateful that the town survived, that Zelda was safe, but there was one that he would not see again. The messenger ruined any hope he had when he returned. Link felt like he had failed. After saying he would help her all of those times, he failed.

The only thing he wanted now was for them to stop calling him a hero so he could maybe move past everything that had happened.

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><p><strong>AN- Two chapter post. No cliff-hangers that way. Battle took forever to write.**


	26. Chapter 26- Epilogue

Epilogue

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><p><em>A few weeks later<em>

He had the night patrol again. The moment the sun threatened to set, the townspeople would scramble home, still wary of the night and its monsters. That left Link to wander about town, or stand around, fidgeting at the shadows.

I figured that, perhaps, this would be the best time to see him. It would be easier than if other people saw me, especially after they were all told the horrors of the Arbiter Grounds massacre.

But even though he was alone, I hesitated and followed behind him, keeping to the shadows. Admittedly, I had been doing so for a few days now. I had some difficulty deciding if I should try to see him. I had… requested they say I was dead. I had meant to leave him alone, apprehensive to explain what had happened. I never meant to return to Castle Town, well, not this soon, but it was apparently too difficult to stay away and forget him. I had not been able to stay away a few weeks; years looked to be impossible.

Link stopped walking, causing me to duck back into the alley. He looked around for a second before he leaned on the building behind him. He would be here for a while, standing around with not much to do.

"Gomess," I whispered. The ghost crept out of my shadow, tilting his head to the side. "Have you sent the Sisters to the Arbiter Grounds?"

"Yes," he sighed. "The Forest Keepers keep the forest no more. The Death Sword will be under their watch."

"Good." The Gerudo had done well, sealing away the sword and monster. The talismans kept it from rematerializing. As long as they were in place the Death Sword could not revive or possess anything living. "And Vaati's palace?"

Gomess rolled his eyes. "I have sent some there to watch over it. The sorcerer already had a spell in place that should keep it from decay. Your precious books will not be lost." He paused before moving in closer, his face only a few inches from mine. "What do you plan to do, Eivie? Not play human again, I hope. That would be rather dull."

"If Link does not wish me to leave, I will remain here with him." I glared when Gomess scoffed. "I will have Syrup teach me about potions while I am here. After she dies, I will simply have you fetch some books from the palace. I will not sit around, if that is what you think. Also, that leaves you some time to hunt down darling Hue, yes?"

"Oh, dear Eivie, I suppose I could allow you to stay here while I hunt the cowardly Hue. As long as you recognize that you cannot live here forever among the humans. I do not wish a repeat of events after all of my hard work and generosity." He chuckled quietly at his own dramatics. "It would be terribly boring if you stayed here with these unchanging, weak creatures until the end of time. They die before they can stir up much fun, while we could be quite a duo of monsters."

"Are you insinuating that you would be lonely without me, Gomess?" I held back a laugh. I could see why he was interested in me now. He had been human once, like me. Natural Poes were monsters through and through, but Gomess and I had that speck of humanity left that kept us separate from them. Gomess and I had chosen own fates rather than rise back a mere spirit of hatred.

"Lonely? I would simply be bored. It is creatures with cunning and refined animosity that prove entertaining, like the desert king and the sorcerer." He grinned as he looked over his shoulder, towards Link. "For now, I will leave you to your pleasures. I have a coward hunt to conduct. Until then, Eivie."

With that the dark Poe disappeared back into the shadows, leaving me to consider approaching Link. I edged closer to the opening of the alley. Link was looking at the sky, spaced out and not paying any attention his surroundings. After Vaati was defeated no monster was bold enough to attack the city. I watched him for a few moments more before deciding I needed to get this over with.

I slowly stepped out into the street, making sure not to make any noise. Link did not notice me, still absorbed with his own thoughts. I was a few steps out when his head whipped around, his hand drawing his sword. I was a ghost to him, someone who should be dead according to what he knew. Hostility was to be expected.

"Wh-who are you?" He hesitantly took a step forward. His brows were furrowed as he stared questioningly.

"Link," I began. I found myself unable to speak more when he dropped his sword and ran up to me, throwing his arms around me. I froze, shocked that he had simply ran up and hugged me with just one word.

"I thought… I thought…" He sniffled and held me tighter. "How are?"

"I told them to say I was dead," I admitted.

For a few seconds he kept up the hug, but then took a step back, his hands on my shoulders as he looked at me. His eyes widened when they met mine. His gaze quickly moved to my hands, more specifically my nails. Once he looked back at my face, I smiled just to show off my sharpened canines and the incisors next to them. He was more observant than he was given credit for. It took only moments for him to see that I had not changed since the Death Sword left my body. Even better was the fact my teeth had changed to something inhuman, and, even if he did not notice it, my shadow showed my nature. I had not found a proper way to disguise the horns my shadow revealed.

"Eivie? What happened?"

"I am no longer human."

He was taken aback by my bluntness. He sputtered for a moment before finally asking, "What… do you mean? How?"

"When the Death Sword took over me all of those years ago, I became something not fully human, nor fully monster. Despite his… arrogance and stupidity… Vaati had managed to keep the Death Sword attached to me through a spell. While that had not destroyed the Death Sword, it allowed for me to retain some of its power when it left." I took a step back, his hands slipping off of my shoulders. "I ate Poe souls and that corrupted me until I became an outright monster. Gomess is the same." I looked down at the ground. While I was no longer repulsed by eating the ghosts, Link may find it sickening. "It was Gomess' idea that let me survive drawing on the power of the Death Sword and Poes. It was Vaati's spell that allowed my body to survive the process, as opposed to Gomess'."

"You… ate Poes? And that made you?" Link bit his lip before his eyes flickered with some thought. "All of those bottles," he muttered.

"Yes." I held back a smile, impressed he remembered something so trivial at the time. I had been dying; he did not seem to paying attention to much else. "Every single one was filled with the soul of a Poe. Gomess and I later hunted and devoured many of the Poes that the Death Sword had created."

"I still don't understand how that… could change you from human to…" He shook his head, not wanting to accept the truth I had long denied myself.

"They became part of me." I held my hand over my chest. "When the Death Sword was trapped in me, we were nearly the same being, and I could use its abilities. It is a lot easier to overpower the wills of weaker Poes. I retained my conscious and stole their power to fuel my own. It was really quite ingenious that Gomess had thought to do something so strange. Though I am not fond of the comparison, I am a creature similar to Vaati, I suppose."

His eyebrows were still together, and his lips pressed together tightly, but he nodded his head. "But you're still Eivie, right?"

"I believe so." I looked away from him again, reaching for the necklace I wore. The cracked green pendent comforting me as I clutched it. "I am still your friend, if you will allow such a creature to call you that."

"Of course," he said, closing the distance between us again. He gently put his hand on my cheek, tilting my face up. "As long you're Eivie, I'm your friend."

"You are much too kind," I muttered, letting go of the necklace and placing my hand on Link's shyly. He may change his mind after he begins to age, while I stay trapped in time. That was why I did not want to come back. He would eventually die. Without him I would have no reason to play human.

"Are you… going to stay in Castle Town?"

"I planned on returning to the potion shop and Syrup. She will likely be accepting of my… condition. Otherwise I intend on avoiding people as much as I can." I laughed once. "It will be like old times, I guess. Syrup, you, and perhaps Zelda being the only people I speak with. I guess Gomess will be about from time to time, though. Would that bother you?"

"I mean, as long as he's not attacking people or anything it would be fine." He paused, mulling over a thought quickly. "Is he… trustworthy, then? I mean, he had attacked us once, came back and helped us, asked me to kill you, and then saved you by making you a monster. Sort of mixed messages in my opinion."

"Gomess is strange. I cannot guarantee he will be completely behaved, but he is not one for mindless terrorizing." I left it at that. Trust was hardly the problem. Being useful and a mutual benefit were more of what Gomess sought, and I currently fell under the 'useful for entertainment' category.

"Eivie…" Link trailed off, looking to the side. His hand still rested on my face. "I… um…" Better yet, he was blushing. "Never mind."

I smiled, holding in a laugh. How adorably embarrassed he was. This I liked. Vaati had been very forward, but Link was awkward and unsure. "Are you sure you wish to leave your thought behind? Now is an opportune time to tell me it."

He stuttered again, not really getting any words out. For a moment he stared at me, the blush getting worse. Eventually he just leaned forward, making me blush. His lips pressed against my every so lightly. After a second, he stepped back, his hand sliding off of my face.

We both stood there awkwardly. I had not been expecting him to kiss me; a hug, maybe a peck on the cheek, but not _that_.

"I…ah… should probably get back to… um… patrolling." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "We could… probably keep talking. If you want."

"That would be fine," I mumbled quickly.

He had to complicate things further. Losing him now… That would ruin me. But, I needed to remember that I was still in the present. I needed to enjoy the time I had with him while it lasted.

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><p><em>I tried so hard to be what I was not.<em>

_It was because of my own ignorance that I became what I so deeply feared._

_I became a monster._

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><p><strong>AN- That's it! My bittersweet ending of Eivie being a monster, but still having Link. I was originally going to have her die. Permanently. I decided not to, though, because of…reasons… **_**plot**_** reasons. The story took me a year from start to finish, and I am quite happy with it overall. **

**I would love to know what you all think about the whole story and/or the end! Even if you read this after it is complete, reviews are always welcome! **

**I will be adding a short chapter about Gomess to the end of this story as a little extra. That way I can respond to some reviews from these chapters. (or I might just PM people because reviews really mean a lot to me and I want to be able to thank you all). **

**On another note, I have an indirect sequel planned, called Wish Upon a Blackstar. I hope to begin work on that now that Among Humans and Monsters is done. I plan on having Vaati being the central character, as well as Link, with some others from the series and OCs (of course). I will put a full description of it on my profile, if you want to check it out. **

**I hope everyone enjoyed reading it, and a big thanks to everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed. **

**Ayako Zetra- She's not dead at least! Well, she's a monster, but, hey, it's not all bad, right? Thank you so much for reviewing on so many of these chapters! It really means a lot to me, and it certainly motivated me to keep going (especially after those two-three months of inactivity). Again, thank you.**

**LuridLullaby- Thank you for reviewing! I was worried about Eivie seeming like a sue, especially in the beginning. In the end, though, I like how she turned out. I am also happy to hear that everyone was in character because I am never entirely sure. It's a good thing the way I wrote Vaati worked out because I was going to use him as a main character in my next fic. I'm glad you enjoyed the story (well, hopefully the end does not disappoint). **

**kurapikahunterxhunter- Thank you! I hope you liked the grand finale. **


	27. Extra Chapter- The Tale of the Harvester

Extra Chapter- The Tale of the Harvester

_After the events of Ocarina of Time..._

Link wandered the streets of Castle Town, still contemplating his decision to come here. It was just… he really wanted to go find Navi and see all of his Kokiri friends again. He'd tried going back there so many times over the years, but the forest kept him out. He was lucky he did not get lost in the forever-changing Lost Woods. He came back to Castle Town when heard of a person that could possibly guide him through the woods.

At first he thought it was just a ridiculous rumor. No one could navigate the woods without a fairy, therefore only the Kokiri could-although even they sometimes became lost and turned into Skull Kids. He just could not imagine someone else being able to get through the Lost Woods. But, right now, he was truly desperate to find a way back. He would risk being disappointed on the slim chance he could return.

That's at least what he thought before he got back to town and asked people about the rumor. Every person that had any idea of who he was talking about got a disgusted look on their face before asking Link why he was looking for the guy. He had asked a few of the knights, their reaction much worse. Some of them just yelled at him for distracting them from their work. Others stuttered and found an excuse to leave –like "Was that a pickpocket? Thief, get back here!" and proceeding to run away. It was the last one he spoke to that actually gave him a location, along with some… bizarre information.

"He's a knight still because we haven't found an actual reason to give him the boot. Started acting very strange a few years ago, and now he's… it'll just be easier if you saw yourself. We've been keeping him out of sight, just because he looks like death. Scares most folks. He's in the guardhouse. Door to the left when you're leaving through the main gate. I'll just warn you again, he is very odd and watch yourself. He hasn't done anything…_yet._" That was all the knight had to say on the matter before walking away muttering about how they need to do something about him.

After that, Link gradually backtracked to the main gate, unsure if he wanted to talk to this guy anymore. It was too late to reconsider now, though. He was standing right outside the door. A rather familiar door, when he thought about it. If things hadn't changed since he was a kid, then the door lead to a long, rectangular room filled with pots and crates. He'd been there before. He remembered… smashing everything looking for rupees. He sighed, thinking how odd a kid he'd been, and slightly guilty. He ruined a bunch of pottery, but no one had tried to stop him if he remembered right.

He shook his head, deciding it didn't matter anymore. Hesitantly, he turned the knob, slowly opening the door. He stepped in, finding it rather dark, a single lantern lighting the crate filled room. Link walked to the other side of the room, towards the lantern, and a figure leaning against the wall that he had at first missed.

When he was close to the person, they turned around. Link froze in place, staring. The man had a light set of guard armor on, but neglected to wear the helmet and gloves. That revealed how sickly looking this man appeared to be. His eyes were sunken in and had incredibly dark bags under them. Every bone in his face was visible under his pallid, taut skin. His hands seemed to be bone and skin, not much else. The man looked like he shouldn't be standing, or maybe even _alive_. Link thought the other knight saying this man looked like death had been an exaggeration, but it was actually an accurate comparison. The only thing that appeared to be healthy were his emerald eyes, but even those had some sort of unnatural glimmer to them.

"It's not often I have visitors," he said as he stepped away from the wall. Link noticed a bottle in the man's other hand, the lid shut tight to keep some sort of purple mixture in. "To what honor do I owe a visit from the great hero?"

"I…" Link swallowed hard, regretting his decision to come here. There was just something familiarly creepy about the man now that he had heard his voice. "I heard that you might be able to lead someone through the Lost Woods."

"Oh?" The man laughed a few times as he turned the lid of the bottle. "I am capable of that, yes. But why would the hero want to go to the woods? Lose something dear to you, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Link asked sharply. He hadn't told anybody that he was looking for anything. Just that he wanted to go to the woods. "Who are you?" That vague sense he knew the man had yet to leave.

"My name is Gomess," he answered. He opened the bottle and downed the strange purple, almost mist-like substance. "We have met before, when you were but a child waving a wooden sword about, fairy trailing behind you. I even allowed you to smash apart the stuff here because I was bored."

Link stared at this Gomess for a second. He did not really remember that knight well. At least while he was a child, well, in the past, no, the… The time traveling ocarina never failed to mix him up. Link remembered the knight after Ganondorf had taken over. He had been warped into some strange creature that paid Link to collect Poes for him. _That_ had been Gomess for sure.

When he saw Gomess retrieve another bottle, his eyes widened. He had captured Poe souls in bottles and they looked the same as what Gomess was drinking now. As Gomess finished off another bottle, Link stared in horror. One time –in a fit of brilliance- he had drank one of the Poes he had caught. It had been repulsive, vile, the epitome of disgusting, and made him feel sicker than any other time in his life. And here was Gomess, downing the things like they were bottles of Lon Lon Milk.

"Why are you drinking those?" he gasped.

"Hm? You… know what these are?" Gomess' head tilted to the side. "That is a very odd thing for you to know."

"I… ah…" Link did not want to try and explain the whole time-travel mess, but he was out of believable excuses. "Lucky guess. Just, why are you drinking Poe souls? That's…" _disgusting_, he finished in his head.

"I was studying them, you see." Gomess grinned, the subject obviously one of his favorites. "Fascinating little abominations born from human hatred. Poes are very intelligent when compared to other monsters, like Stalfos and ReDead, and also powerful, able to fade from sight, summon flames, possess the living, and many other tricks." He paused, taking a second to breathe after his enthused and unasked explanation of Poes. "I had a few live samples in bottles. Out of curiosity I decided to see what would happen if ingested." Gomess chuckled a few times before picking up his knight helmet, and holding it in front of himself like a mirror. "While it looks the opposite, I have never felt stronger."

Link stood there wordlessly. Gomess was clearly insane. He looked sicker than victims of a plague. The Poes couldn't possibly be helping him if his body seemed to be rotting away.

"Are you ready to leave me to my madness, little hero?" Gomess asked after a moment of deafening silence. "Or do you still intend to ask my assistance? Because of my Poe drinking habit, it is an easy matter for me to navigate the woods. I could lead you through to that village of immortal children."

"I…" Link stood there, staring at Gomess, torn between saying no and yes. He believed him to a degree. Link had seen Poes wandering the forest before and it wasn't impossible that Gomess could do the same. He didn't trust him though. Not one bit. He could still remember that creature wishing for _more_ destruction during Ganondorf's rule. He really wanted to go find Navi and see the Kokiri, but be lead there by a Poe-drinking knight on death's doorstep? He would probably regret this. "Yes, I would like a guide through the forest. Do you want money or…?"

"Oh, no. I have no need for currency anymore. There are Poes in the forest. Catch me a few while we are there. That it is a more suitable payment," Gomess said as he dropped the helmet onto the floor and kicked away. He went over to a crate lined with bottles and dropped a few into a bag. "You do wish to leave as soon as possible, yes little hero?"

"I suppose so." Link sighed, wiping a hand over his face. A chance was chance, even if that meant traveling around with this strange knight.

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><p><strong>AN- **And that is my little Gomess backstory. He's the Poe Hunter from Ocarina. That knight and the Poe Hunter showed some interest in Poes, as well as not minding a bit of destruction and not appreciating boredom. You can drink Poes in Ocarina and that can either heal you or hurt you, so I figured maybe Gomess tried one and it gave him strength. Eating a bunch of spirits of hatred eventually destroyed his body, and he became a Poe himself. The Harvester (mentioned by Death Sword) is his title, for obvious soul-gathering reasons. Funny enough, I accidentally used the correct timeline for this story. Originally I was going to use this in a prequel to _Among Humans and Monsters_ as a part of the Death Sword's past, but then I thought up _Wish Upon a Blackstar_. Well, enough rambling I suppose.

**Thank you all for reading this and Among Humans and Monsters! **

**-AwkwardBlackCat **


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